Italy: new Covid-19 protocol in the workplace

On 30 June, as the seventh wave of Covid-19 sweeps through the country, Italy’s government and social partners signed a new Covid-19 workplace protocol, which simplifies the previous regulations, but does not completely lift the restrictive measures. In particular, any worker presenting Covid-19 symptoms must not come to the workplace, or if at the workplace must leave it. Temperature taking at the workplace entrance, a measure widely applied in Italy during the whole pandemic period, continues to be authorized. FFP2 masks “keep an important protective role for the health of workers (…) in closed places, shared by several workers, or open to the public, or when it is not possible to ensure the interpersonal distance of one meter”, the text reads. Employers are therefore obliged to make FFP2 masks available to employees. Employers, by way of indication from the occupational physician and/or prevention officer, are also required to identify specific groups of workers especially ‘vulnerable people’, for whom the wearing of FFP2 masks will be mandatory. The protocol continues to encourage staggered employee entry and exit times in order to avoid congregating, and it states that remote work “represents, even in the current situation, a useful tool” to combat the spread of Covid-19, especially as regards vulnerable workers. This new protocol replaces those signed by the government and the social partners in 2020 and 2021 (c.f. articles No.11720, No.11883 and No.12463) and will be reviewed by 31 October.