New two metre workplace social distancing law comes into force today

New rules to protect workers during the coronavirus outbreak have come into force today. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The regulations mean the 2-metre (6.5ft) social distancing rule will apply to any workplace, including homes, where work and repairs are being undertaken and outdoor spaces. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The new rules apply to those workplaces not already covered by the original stay-at-home rules introduced almost two weeks ago ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

All businesses will have to take all reasonable measures to ensure the 2m rule is maintained between people on their premises whenever work is being carried out. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The rules about who can attend a funeral are being relaxed but the 2m rule will mean there will be a maximum limit on the number of people who can attend. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

On Monday, First Minister Mark Drakeford said, “To be clear, the regulations say it’s an obligation on employers to take all reasonable measures. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

So it’s not an absolute ban on people not being able to be within two meters of one another. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“In the health service, for example, a dentist carrying out treatment on you isn’t two meters away from you. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

But, they’re only close to you when they need to be close to you, and they’re away from you when they don’t need to be close to you. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

So the measures are there to reinforce the message that is already the one we’ve been giving for the last two weeks, it is nothing new when the message is about saying to employers that you must take all reasonable measures to ensure that the safety and health of your workforce come first. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The enforcement of it, in many ways, it’ll be self enforcing, the best enforcers of this are workers themselves. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Part of the reason why we took the decision was because we were getting too many reports individually as assembly members, from the trade unions as well, of people feeling that they weren’t safe in the workplace and everything that needed to be done was not being done. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This sends that message to people in the workplace that we expect it to be this way, but we expect it to be done reasonably as well.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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