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EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure CY-2020-12/449 – measures in Cyprus

Protection of workers and the public

Προστασία Εργαζομένων και Κοινού

Country Cyprus , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 16 March 2020 – 30 April 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Non-binding recommendations or other texts
Category Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace
– Occupational health and safety
Author Loucas Antoniou (INEK) and Eurofound
Measure added 10 April 2020 (updated 06 May 2020)

Background information

The measure is regulated through the directions for the protection of workplaces of the Medical and Public Health Services of the Minister of Health.

It is issued within a bundle of other measures for the protection of workers in the economic activities that they still operating such as offices, pharmacies, supermarkets, bakeries, fruit markets and generally with activities in the retail market. The overcrowding of supermarkets, especially, and the fear of the spread of the virus among workers and the public were among the reason that the government has taken the measure.

On Wednesday 8 April, the President of the Republic announced the decision of the Cabinet to extent all the measures taken by the Degrees of the Minister of Health up until 30 April 2020. The Minister of Health undertakes, currently, a legal and technical processing of these measures.

Content of measure

The directions include specific measures for the protection of workplaces, workers and the public that make use of the services of workplace and include:

necessary signs to ensure that there is a two-meter distance between citizens and workers both inside and outside the business (i.e. within shops/businesses and in the queues outside). the presence of more than one person per 8 square meters of space is not allowed. adequate ventilation of all workplaces access to water and soap and antiseptic hand gels cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces covering of the mouth with tissues during sneezing and coughing *access to essential consumables including thermometers, single use gloves, cleaning surface liquids, masks.

The directions also include the process for confronting suspected cases in the workplace. The process include the isolation of the worker from the others, provision of masks and gloves to the suspected case worker, immediate communication with the crisis center, avoidance of work space of the affected person and disinfection of the workplace.

Use of measure

No information is available currently.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Workers in essential services
Does not apply to businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Informed Informed
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

N/A

Views and reactions

The Ministry of Health and the relevant medical services issued the directions without the prior consultation with social partners.

Sources

  • 08 April 2020: Οδηγίες για αντιμετώπιση για τα θέματα του κορωνοϊού σε χώρους εργασίας (www.pio.gov.cy)

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Protection of workers and the public, measure CY-2020-12/449 (measures in Cyprus), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/CY-2020-12_449.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.