From today (14th April) we are going back to the situation that we had before the 30th of March, meaning, all non-essential activities that had not been stopped with the decree 463/2020 that established the state of alarm in Spain will be allowed again. The companies besides implementing all the necessary measures, this time they will also have to make an analysis of the risk of exposure to Covid for their workers and will have to fill up a questionnaire before restarting the activity.

Below I share some important points of several documents published by health authorities.

1. It is the responsibility of companies to assess the risk of exposure of their workers and follow the recommendations published by the health authorities and prevention service.

The Procedures related to the Occupational Risk Prevention published by the Ministry of Health includes a Table (Table 1-page 5) which sets the risk scenarios of exposure to coronavirus in the workplace. You should assess the risk considering the criteria set in this table.

2. The Balearic Government has published protocols for 6 different sectors (none of them is the marine sector) but they give a general idea of what to follow. Here you can find these protocols:

3. In addition to the specific measures for each activity, the protocols also include a brief questionnaire that, prior to the restart of the activity, the company must carry out to the personnel, guaranteeing the confidentiality, and send it to the Mutua collaborator with Social Security or to the Occupational Risk Prevention Service. Attached you can find the questionnaire.

4. The Ministry of Health has published on the 11th of April a guide with best practices for the work centres, which covers measures related to the work organization,  hygiene, prevention and protection, etc. 

5. Below you can see the main measures related to work organization, hygiene and prevention:

• Intensification of cleaning and disinfection tasks for workplaces and equipment.
• Providing all necessary hygiene products to the workers and clients (water, soap, paper towels, disinfection gel,…)
• Measures to ensure the minimum distance (2m) between workers.
• The company should keep the workers informed and trained about all implemented measures. Informative posters with the basic recommendations should be placed in several areas of the workplace. 
• Regarding the use of EPIs (Individual Protection Equipments), the company should provide this type of equipment when the risks can not be avoided or limited enough because of the nature of the activity. Such as if they can not keep the minimum 2 m distance between each other, then the company should provide them with masks and other necessary EPIs.
• Con el fin de evitar contagios, los casos posibles, probables o confirmados deben llevar mascarillas quirúrgicas, pero su uso no es exigible al conjunto de trabajadores.
• The use of surgical masks is not mandatory if the type of work does not require it and if the social distance is maintained. They should only be provided on a mandatory basis to those who are especially sensitive to exposure or when there is suspicion or confirmation of contagion.
• Establish continuous working hours
• They have to be as little time as possible on the street
• Shifts should be set for meals
• Only one person per row is allowed in vehicles used by workers to go to work  
• A maximum of two people are allowed in material transport vehicles
• All the people who enter the work area should be registered daily (suppliers, optional management of the work, property, commercial …)  
• Have a thermometer at work and make sure it is disinfected after each use  

In addition to the previously mentioned measures, the workers should also implement preventive measures:

• Check the fever each day before going to the work
• Keep the suggested distance with other workers and make correct use of the individual protection equipment
• Wash hands frequently
• Contribute to the cleaning maintenance of facilities and tools
• Use gloves and do not share any equipment, material or glasses, plates or drinks with other persons

If a worker who has been in contact with anybody infected with Covid19, has any symptom (fever, cough, breathing problems,..), she/he should immediately leave the workplace and call 061 (medical attention service) to notify and follow the indications given by the professionals.

Gulsan Atalay

Manager

Balearic Marine Cluster