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NEWS

coronavirus update - respiratory protective equipment


23/2/2021

Dear clients,

we bring you below a clear summary of obligations concerning respiratory protective equipment, set by an extraordinary measure of the Ministry of Health (full text available here), valid from 25 February 2021 (00:00 ), resp. with the exception of 1 March 2021:

WEARING IN (ALL GENERAL) INDOOR AREAS

- ALL PERSONS are prohibited from moving and staying without respiratory protective equipment, which newly means:

 respirator or similar device (without exhalation valve) - min. meeting the requirements and technical conditions, incl. filtration efficiencies of at least 95 % according to relevant standards (eg FFP52 / KN 95);

 medical face mask or similar device - min. fulfilling all technical conditions and requirements (for the product) of the ČSN EN 14683 + AC standard, which prevent the spread of droplets

- the prohibition on movement and residence without the above means of protection applies to:

 all interior spaces of buildings, outside the residence or accommodation;

 about all other publicly accessible places - in the built-up area of the municipality, where at least 2 persons less than 2 meters apart are present at the same place and at the same time, unless they are exclusively household members.

- EXCEPTION - in the period from 25 February 2021 to 28 February 2021 (11:59 pm), other respiratory protective equipment may be used in all general interior spaces instead of the above-mentioned protective equipment (ie respirators or surgical drapes), which prevents the spread of droplets (ie, home-made veils, scarves, shawls, etc.).

WEARING IN SELECTED INDOOR AREAS

- it’s forbidden for ALL PERSONS to move and stay without respiratory protective equipment, which now means:

 respirator or similar device (without exhalation valve) - min. meeting the requirements and technical conditions, incl. filtration efficiencies of at least 95 % according to relevant standards (eg FFP52 / KN 95);

two medical face masks or similar means folded over each other - min. fulfilling all technical conditions and requirements (for the product) of the ČSN EN 14683 + AC standard, which prevent the spread of droplets

- selected indoor areas means (ie the ban on movement and residence without the above-mentioned protective equipment applies to):

 shops;

 service establishments;

 medical facilities, in workplaces where outpatient care is provided;

 on social services facilities;

 international airports;

 means of public transport;

 platforms, shelters and waiting rooms of public transport;

 in motor vehicles (if there are no persons from the common household)

In simple terms, it can be said that employees working, for example, in establishments of services or in store must have respirators (or two surgical drapes) from Thursday, while employees working in workplaces that are not selected indoor areas, see above, must have respirators (or two surgical drapes). drapes) until March 1, 2021.

EXCEPTIONS FOR BOTH CASES - including employees and persons in a similar position, including constitutional officials, for the period when they perform work in one place, if such a person works at a distance of at least 2 meters from another person, resp. employees for whom the risk factor of heat load is applied, for works classified in category III or IV (or for works for which this categorization has not been performed, but can be assumed to be so classified).

Regarding the employer's obligation to provide respirators / drapes for employees - we consider that in view of the fact that the obligation to wear them for indoor areas was newly established by an extraordinary measure of the Ministry of Health - this obligation is not set by employers and the employer may require employees to wear respirators they provided themselves (similarly, as before, the employer was not obliged to provide veils for employees).

In case of any questions about the above, we of course remain available to you.