31 Jan COVID-19: Transitional Protocol
Government publishes “Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19″
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has today, 31 January 2022, published the Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19.
This revision of the Work Safely Protocol reflects the lessons learned to date and places a greater emphasis on guidance and best practice to support the safe return to physical attendance in the workplace.
This guidance is a general document applicable to all sectors. It is not designed to prohibit the introduction of specific measures in particular sectors or workplaces. All businesses and sectors who have specific guidance should now review and update their own guidance in line with the advice contained within the Transitional Protocol.
Here are a few points of note from the Transitional Protocol:
- The importance of maintaining a safe workplace includes strong communication of key messages, consistency in the implementation of infection prevention and control measures such as rapid self-isolation of those displaying symptoms, and a shared collaborative approach between employers and workers.
- Employers and employees are encouraged to maintain the Lead Worker Representative (LWR) role in each workplace, with at least one LWR in place charged to ensure that a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace continues for an appropriate transition period.
- Employers are advised to keep an up-to-date COVID-19 Response Plan in place.
- Policies and procedures for prompt identification and isolation of workers who may have symptoms of COVID-19 to be maintained.
- The requirements to maintain a 2 metre physical distance and to adopt pods of 6 for indoor events have been removed. However, public health advice for the individual and for sectors notes that adopting a physical distance continues to be good practice.
Read the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment press release and the Transitional Protocol in full here – https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Transitional-Protocol-COVID-19.html