3. Health and Safety Measures

As mentioned the use of protective masks is mandatory at the workplace with the exception of employees that do not share a working space with anybody, employees that are performing activities in conditions of extreme temperatures or that require a great amount of physical activity and also employees with health conditions that may lead to respiratory difficulties. Additional individual protective gear such as gloves and face shields might be required in certain cases.

• The employer should check the temperature of the employees at the beginning of the work day and employees that have a temperature higher than 37.3°C will not be allowed to enter the workplace as will be the employees that have respiratory infection symptoms. The employees are required by the Joint Order no. 3577/831/2020 to accept the temperature check.
• Social distancing rules are also functional at the workplace, with some specific regulations such as the following requirements: open space offices where employees that are positioned front to back or back to back should be distanced at least at 1.5 m and employees that are positioned front to front should be separated by protective screens and cafeterias where employees should be distanced at least at 2 m of each other. The social distancing rules apply also to the transport of the employees.
• In order to further protect employees that interact with a large number of individuals (such as supermarket workers), protective screens might be required. Working spaces, common use areas (such as locker rooms and cafeterias) frequently touched surfaces and shared tools should be regularly disinfected. When possible the rooms should be ventilated. Employees that resume activity will be retrained regarding their health and safety. Health and safety procedures and general plan should be revised in order to limit the specific risk for each employer.
• In addition to all the legally mandatory health and safety measures the employers can also limit the travel of their employees to only urgent and necessary cases, cancel previously booked training courses that are not mandatory, reduce the number of employees that are included in team activities, organise meetings using electronic tools. The employer can also restrict access to certain areas for certain employees.