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    of 7
    the dpsa Pie Sere a Aarne Prt Bag XBL Pato Dt, Ta (1).538 00 F: (2 28789 PB Cape ow, 0. $a a Wor Sa au) Se TO ALL HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS AND PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATIONS Cireular No 18 of 2020 STATE OF DISASTER COVID-18: PUBLIC SERVICE RETURN TO WORK GUIDELINES AFTER THE EASING OF THE NATIONAL LOCKDOWN 4. INTRODUCTION 1.4. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 goverment deciared a national sta of disaster and Subsequent hereto also declared a natonal lockdown which wil be eased ont May 2020. the 23% of Ap 2020 tho President anneunced that risk adjusted stalgy wil be implemented through which government wl take a deliberate and caulous approach othe esing ofthe cent lockdown restictons and retorted that the acton we take now must te measured and incremental This sategy i promised onthe need to balance the resumption o economic acy ith the mpertve to contain he vus and save Ives. The easing of the lockdow does notnegate ‘the need to contain the spreading of COVIO-19 and is meant to counter a rusted reopeing tha tay be followed by a resurgence of the vius and anotierhar lockdown, 1.2. The pubic service hasan obigaton to asist goverment in iin te spreadof COVID-19 and {28 such te estabshment of guidlines on te measured and incremental manner government services wil retum to normally and the manne in which employees wil rum to werk, 2 ‘equited. These guidelines must take ini consderaton the service delvery obligations of departments and the needs of sence recent 1.3. To facta the ramping up of goverment seres to serve repens there wl be a ned for ‘employes fo retum to he workplace. The falovng gudeines have been developed to asist department in managing he easing of th lockdown restrictions. The guidelines ake nto account the requicements of departments to comply with tt egal abigatons in accordance withthe equations isuedin terms ofthe Disaster Management Act, 2002, the Occupational Healt and Safety Act, 193, andthe Drectve issued bythe Minster of Employment and Labour in respect ‘of COVID-18 Occupational Heath and Selly Measures in Workplaces, 2020, 1.4. ltmust be noted tat he provisions as contained in Circular 7 of 2020, Circular 1 of 2020 a well a8 Creular 15 of 2020 remain inefect and should be read together with these guidlines as cuted 15: 2A ‘tenon is dawn fo the fat that government didnot shut down. Essential ad cial services and jobs were denied to ensure sence and business contin during the lckdown, However not al employees and associated services were fully operational and ava. Al ovement and relevant entes are expeced tobe functonal and continue to provide crcl and essential services during level 4 ‘As te identified seco come on tne and the alert levels decrease, the demands for operational functionality andthe numberof employes atthe workplaces of government department wil begin to increase. To be responsive to these increasing demands, departments shoulé lan 10 supplement the curent operational levels by ensuring tha adequate esoures are avalable a the workplace Departments’ retum to service and work normaly satgies during the easing ofthe lockdown, must take into account Reguaions and Diecions issued by Government, he levels of alert appicabe at anatona provincial and dist evel and ther own unique crcunsances. ‘With the implementation of the ctferet alert lov ts clear that not al san all departments willbe abit return o work immediatly ater 30 Api 2020, ‘As the Mentified sectors ofthe economy are alowed to come online in terms ofthe diferent levels lt, goverment deparments response for providing regulon, support and administrative serves to theso sectors shout ensure sufcent capaci to provide these sevies, savalable In conjunction with re necessary precautionary heath and safety measures GUIDELINES TO DEPARTMENTS FOR RETURN TO SERVICES AND FOR EMPLOYEES’ [RETURN TO WORK DURING THE EASING OF THE LOCKDOWN GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS 2.14. In addressing the COVID-19 responsiveness, departments should consider assigning the funcions of the deparmental stering committee, esiblsred in terms of Cala 7of 202, tothe heath and safety committee estabished in tems of section 19 ‘ol he Ocoupatonal Heath and Safty Ack. The committe must prepare for and monitor ‘he etn © work process and report dec} tothe Head of Department 2.1.2. Inview of the COVID-9 pandemic the department must review and update its tsk assessment og efecto the minimum measures required by the elvan prescipts such ashe Diecve issued by the Minister of Employment and Labour on 28 Al 2020, The heath and safety poy o department must be amended oicude measures or the protecton of employees against COVID-8. The risk assossment and heath and salety policy must be submitod othe Provincial Chie Inspector of he Deparment of Employment and Labour a: hips abour gov zalAbout UsMiisty/PagesES0320.7308 aspx 243. Every Hea of Department must assign in wing, an employee, 2 the compliance fer as contemplated inthe Regulations isuod in tems ofthe Disster Management ‘Actwho must be a member of the committee refered to above. 2.14, iis incumbent on the compliance ofcer 2.144. determine he area of foo space in square metres; 2.14.2. based on the information contemplated in paragragh 2.141, determine the number of service reciens and employees that may be nse the premises at any ie with adequate space avalabe; 2 22 245, 248 24.43. take sips to ensure hat persons queuing nse or aust he premises are able lo mainan a distance of one and a half mete rom each her, 24.44, prove hand sanitizers for uso by the pubic and employees a the entrance fo the premises and 2445. ensue that all decions in respect of hygienic condltons an limaton of exposure o persons with COVID-19 are athered to Pro o employee retiring tothe wartace, the designated complanceoffcer must {evelo apian forthe phased increase of employees returning tothe workplace, which lan must corespond with Annexure E of te Reguaons issue n toms of the Osaser Management Act and be retined for inspection and cantante folowing information: 2.18.1. which employees ae permite to works 2.15.2. whatarethe plans forthe phasedinretum of heir employees othe werklace, 2.15.3. what heath procs aren place to protect employees fon COVIO-1 and 2154. etal ofthe COVIO-19 compliance ofcer. The designated COVID-18 complanceoffcer must oversee the inpementaton ofthe Pian referred fo above and develop a checks io ensure that all rerements as listed aswell as best practices that may apply, are adhered to [PREPARATION OF THE WORKPLACE IN RESPONSE TO THE EASING OF THE LOCKDOWN 224 222, 223, 224, 225, 228, 22. Departments must undertake a torough clearing of the workplace to ensure itis loan and hygienic. This ince: 2.2.1.1. The disinfecting of al work surfaes and equpment bore wrk begins; and 224.2. Cleaning of al tots, common ares, door handos and shared eectonic eauipment, Departments must sable iometic syst or make them COVID-13 poo, Departments must ensure that there are hand sanitize, soap and paper towels for employees and serve reciants. Deparment must range the work space of emoyees fo adhere tothe one and a haf ‘mates physical distancing guidelines to reduce the rik of wansmisson of COVID-1 Where not practicable to arange workstation atleast one anda half metres apart, physical bars, such as panellhilds must be instal to form asald barrier between ‘employees or epoyees may be provided wi face shill or visors, Every Head of Department must determine the number of serve recpents and ‘employees that may be inside the deparmenloficelpremses at ay gven tine wth adoquate space avalabe Entrance and recepton afeas mst be confgured to contain the transmission of CCOVID-19 and empioyees working in these areas shoud be provided with he requisite personal potcte equipment Physical distance markers shouldbe installed in entrance and ecapton areas, a8 wel _as area where queungis envisaged. Where possible an apponinentsystem for service recipients should be implemented. A queue management system should be implemented and steps mist be taken to ensure ha persons queuing inside or outs the premises ae able to maintain an adequate distance rom each or. 3 23. 24 228 228, 2210 22M 221, 2218, 2214 Hand sanitizers shouldbe svategically paced at entrances, common areas, doorays, Hslelevatos, escalators, handrals, where ofice equiprent shares, Protocols 3s they pertain tothe use of shared offce equipment and canman areas ‘shouldbe espayed in prominent places In minimising the risk associated withthe transmission of COVID-9 via documents, ‘departments could consider atenatve approaches to reduce the dependency on paper. Ininstanoes where a paper based syste is contnued,pctocos mt be plemented ‘on how documents ae handled, conveyed, disposed and stored, Where posse, deparments shoul provide sonces trough one plats and encourage ciizens to utllze such platforms rather than visting paysal sence points. ‘clean des” poy shoud be atvocatod to reduce the rk of suece transmission of ‘COVIO-19 ant enable thorough cleaning Every Head of Departnent must ensue thatthe department has a protocol which incudes, but snot ied to, standards of hygiene, adequate spece and distancing measures that senice providers must adhere to on each vil lo the workplace Compliance to he observance ofthe departmental protocol athe equations fsued interns ofthe Disaster Management Act by service providers must be tly monitored, Departments must ensure thatthe workplace is well ventlated and ensure that the vetlton systoms are cleaned and maintained, ‘SYMPTOM SCREENING, MASKS AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 234 Departents must take measures to screen all employees and any oher persons entering the wotklace for any observabie symploms associated win COVID-18. As 2 minimum, each person entering the wrkplace must be temperature screened, 232. As itis incumbent on every person to wear @ face mask when the lave home, iis simary required from te employee to wear hsher face mask at werk, 233. Departments must provide every employee whois required atthe workplace wth wo cloth masks which comply withthe guidelines isued by the Deparment of Trade, Industry and Competition, fo the employee to wear whl at werk and while comming to and fom werk. Empoyoes who come into dct contac wh members of he pubic 2s partof thei dutes must wear a face mask 234, The weaing of cath masks at al ies inthe workplace by non-medical prsonnal is ‘mandatory 235, Personal protective equipment must be provided to employees where operational requirements dictate such, ‘STAGGERED RETURN TO WORK 2.44, The ultimate defence in containing the spread of COVIO-19 i the atherane to soil distancing. The issues of proximity and social distancing must be managed upon the retum of employees othe workplace 28 26. 242. 244, 245, Dung the ita Alert Level lockdown perio, departments had steady identified the cial services which remained operatenal. These senices ware ether stalled ‘Bhystcally, adapted fr online sence or were supported enol by employes, is ‘advised that wth the increasing demands ofthe easing of he lockdown, departments identify ther employees response for such atonal tal senices and recall them ‘othe workplace, to suplement capaci Departments must develop 2 schedule for a staggered retu ofthe workforce which wl ‘asst in managing the number of enpoyees, a the same tne, at he worglce to ‘mainlainsenvce and business conn. The retun to work scheduein supper ofthe reslart of the economy and the relevant sectors must be dissemiaie to all employees Heads of Deparment must ensure that employees who are required to be at the workplace be issued withthe requsile documentation aubersirg travel for werk purposes, Tolimit the number of employees axing, leaving or working atthe seme tine, he Head of Department should consider amending woking times to minimis ‘he fskassxited wih the simultaneous aval and departure of employees. To reduce the number of femioyees atthe same tne in commen areas, such as kichens and canteen, the staggetng of employees’ meal intra shoud be considered, REMOTE WORK ARRANGEMENTS 251 25, 254, ‘All pubic sector employees are expected to be werkng in Une wih extabished woking hours and norms. Informed bythe imperative to contin the spread of Cou 9 and kooping all enpoyees safe, Heads of Depariments ae expected toimpiement remote work arangemen’s, therefore some employees wil work remotely, some physical in ofce, andi some instances a hyd made of remote working and physeally coming to ofce for employees. ‘Where employees do nothave tobe at wor, bey should work remotely and departments af encouraged fo continue wit this stalegy taking into considerate the requrements ‘soutned in ccuar 15 of 2020 Furthermore departments ae urged i strengthen such capabilites, ‘Athough employees may be working emily, they may aso be recited frm tie to time to alend the workplace, to among ates, recive istrucbons, documentalon, access offs infastucure and to submit completed task, In decsing an employee's appropriateness to work remotely, heads of deparment should consider he higher risk COVID-19 poses to vulnerable emooyees, inudng ‘hose over the age of 60 and these that present wih co-morbidtes, The decision must be made with due consideration of business conteuity andthe serie delvery needs of the deparment. Vulnerable employees must submit relevant documentation in tis ragard as evidence to her human resource management component. EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION 284 The focus of communication on COVID-19 shouldbe on prevention and containment. The prevention of fake news should be a py. All levantinfomaton on COVID-19 must be fom ofa sources and packaged in a format thats easly understood and disseminated to employees and service recipes, 5 2. 262. 283, 284, 265. 286, 287, 258, ‘Al avaiable communicaton plaforns should be used to ene infomation is

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