A significant number of civil and public service employers are stepping up plans for the re-opening of workplaces following the Government’s acceleration of ‘return to work’ measures earlier this month.
The third phase of the Government’s ‘roadmap for reopening society and business,’ due to get underway on Monday week (29th June), envisages the return of workers with “low levels of daily interaction with people.”
But the accelerated reopening of retail outlets now underway has already gone beyond that cautious approach, which was originally outlined early last month.
Meanwhile, it’s been announced that some 500 agriculture, environmental health and labour inspectors will get powers to enforce coronavirus workplace health measures on foot of union pressure for a more stringent application of safety regulations.
Some 500 agriculture, environmental health and labour inspectors will get powers to enforce coronavirus workplace health measures on foot of union pressure for a more stringent application of safety regulations.
They will carry out these responsibilities under the guidance of the Health and Safety Authority, which has so far assigned 67 inspectors to frontline enforcement. Fórsa has called on the agency to develop a ‘business case’ for extra in-house inspectors.
The union has also insisted that workers’ safety cannot be compromised as thousands of people return to workplaces. It says employers must fully implement safety measures agreed between the Government, unions, and employers last month.
These are set out in a ‘return to work safety protocol,’ which outlines the steps required to ensure a safe workplace as restrictions are relaxed.
The secretary general of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation recently told an Oireachtas committee that additional enforcement staffing would include 250 agricultural inspectors, 200 environmental health staff, and 50 labour inspectors.
The secretary general of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation recently told an Oireachtas committee that additional enforcement staffing would include 250 agricultural inspectors, 200 environmental health staff, and 50 labour inspectors.
In a written submission to the same committee, Fórsa acknowledged the emerging tensions between public health requirements and the desire for a rapid return to commerce, trade and work.
But it said that, “if unsupported by public health expertise,” a bias towards the latter would be self-defeating in terms of jobs and business.
“The consistent implementation of the ‘return to work safety protocol,’ agreed between the Government, unions, and employer representatives through the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), must underpin the safe return to work, and ongoing workplace safety, in all sectors,” it said.
Read Fórsa’s advice on a safe return to workplaces HERE.
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