The personal care sector (hairdressing, barbering, cosmetology, skincare, beauty, spas etc.) may operate during adjusted alert level 4.
Relevant health and social distancing measures set out in directions must be adhered to, in addition to the occupational health and safety directions issued.
Businesses must adhere to any sector-specific health protocols intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the sector concerned (Personal Care Sector-Specific Protocols – Gazette 19 June 2020).
No person will be allowed to use, operate, perform any services on any form of public transport, enter or be in a building, place or premises, including government buildings, places, or premises, used by the public to obtain good or services; or be in any public open space if he or she is not wearing a face mask.
This means that every person in the working/economic operating environment (unless younger than six years of age) whether it is the business owner/employer, employee, worker, or client MUST wear a mask.
Where a client is requiring a service, which is performed on the face/neck, the person performing the service must increase his/her Personal Protective Equipment (e.g., wear a face mask and a face shield, increase ventilation in the room and wear gloves were practicable etc.).
Every business premises, including, but not limited to, a supermarket, shop, grocery store, retail store, wholesale produce market or pharmacy shall:
(a) determine their area of floor space in square metres; determine the number of customers and employees that may be inside the premises in order to comply with the limitation of 50% floor space occupation, and must strictly adhere to all health protocols including the wearing of face masks, sanitising and social distancing measures; take steps to ensure that persons queuing inside or outside the premises are able to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from each other;
(b) display to the public the number of allowed occupants in the work/operating space;
(c) provide hand sanitisers for use by the public and employees at the entrance to the premises;
(d) and assign, in writing, an employee or any other suitable person, as a compliance officer, who must ensure compliance as outlined above; and that all 3limitation of exposure to persons with COVID-19 is adhered to.
An example as to how to calculate maximum capacity which needs to be displayed and adhered to:
Workplace floor size – 100m2.
100m2 / 1.5 (social distancing) x 0.5 (50% capacity) = 33 people will be allowed to occupy a 100m2 floor allowing 1.5 metres social distancing. This would mean that for every 10m2, 3 (three) individuals will be permitted.
The individuals referred to in the above calculation includes employees, workers, clients, and suppliers etc. at any given time.
Where workplaces are much smaller, greater social distance is recommended. The EOHCB recommends that for confined spaces or home-based establishments, provision for at least 2-3 metres of social distancing should be considered.
Example:
Workplace floor size – 25m2.
25m2 / 3 x 0.5 = 4 people recommended to be permitted.
Any business whose premises exceeds the maximum number of customer and employees commits an offence and is, on conviction, liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
All employers must adopt measures to promote physical distancing of employees, including:
(a) enabling employees to work from home or minimizing the need for employees to be physically present at the workplace;
(b) the provision for adequate space;
(c) restrictions on face-to-face meetings;
(d) special measures for employees with known or disclosed health issues or comorbidities, or with any condition which may place such employees at a higher risk of complications or death if they are infected with COVID-19; and
(e) special measures for employees above the age of 60 who are at a higher risk of complications or death if they are infected with COVID-19.
The national curfew is now from 21h00 – 04h00. Closing time for all places (including workplaces in the Personal Care Sector) permitted to remain open is 20h00.
All institutions of higher education will be closed for contact classes (physical classes) from 30 June 2021. Should an employer have a learner/student within his/her working environment, the learner/student will not be permitted to attend physical classes as of 30 June 2021 until such time that the provisions are reviewed.
All gatherings are prohibited, except for funerals, when at a workplace; or when buying or obtaining goods and services. All social gatherings are prohibited until 11 July 2021, after which the provision will be reviewed.