To deal with the epidemic situation, local governments in China have published a series of notices upon the delayed resumption of work. Recently, local governments have also made further arrangements upon epidemic prevention and control as well as safe production. Based on the previous article, together with the latest changes in regards to epidemic prevention and control as well as the local policies of Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou etc., we will provide practical suggestions in this article for enterprises to resume work considering the following 3 aspects: resumption arrangement, epidemic isolation policy as well as key points for enterprises to resume work and production in compliance with law and regulations.
| City | Date | Basis/Source |
| Shanghai | All kinds of enterprises within Shanghai should not return to operation earlier than 24:00 on Feb. 9, except those related to guaranteeing the operation of public utilities, the prevention and control of epidemics, the needs of people’s livelihood, and other related enterprises that are involved in important matters related to the national economy and people’s livelihood. | Notification regarding Postponing Resumption of Work and School Opening from the People’s Government of Shanghaihttps://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/zXHWS5GdGuewZJlB6wRkow |
| Nanjing | All kinds of enterprises within Nanjing should not return to operation earlier than 24:00 on Feb. 9. | Notice of the general office of the municipal government on strengthening the main responsibility of enterprises to ensure the smooth and safe resumption of workhttp://www.nanjing.gov.cn/zdgk/202001/t20200129_1783170.html |
| Suzhou | All kinds of enterprises within Suzhou should not return to operation earlier than 24:00 on Feb. 9, except those related to guaranteeing the operation of public utilities, the prevention and control of epidemics, the needs of people’s livelihood, and other related enterprises that are involved in important matters related to the national economy and people’s livelihood. | Notice of Suzhou on implementing the main responsibility, delaying the resumption of work and strengthening epidemic prevention and controlhttp://www.suzhou.gov.cn/szsrmzf/szfylws/202001/8868b848694f4a22ae423251b5f86d06.shtml |
| Hangzhou | All kinds of enterprises within Hangzhou should not return to operation earlier than 24:00 on Feb. 9, except those related to guaranteeing the operation of public utilities, the prevention and control of epidemics, the needs of people’s livelihood, and other related enterprises that are involved in important matters related to the national economy and people’s livelihood. | Notice of Hangzhou Municipal Government on delaying the resumption of work of enterprises and the opening of schoolshttp://www.hangzhou.gov.cn/art/2020/2/9/art_1256295_41893739.html |
| Chongqing | All kinds of enterprises within Chongqing should not return to operation earlier than 24:00 on Feb. 9, except those related to guaranteeing the operation of public utilities, the prevention and control of epidemics, the needs of people’s livelihood, and other related enterprises that are involved in important matters related to the national economy and people’s livelihood. | Notice on the matters related to the resumption of production of enterpriseshttps://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Nl5dfMSqkS6McLGnkI1ppQ |
Strengthen the advice to those who do not have a residence or a specific job in Shanghai in relation to returning or postpone returning to Shanghai.
Anyone arriving in Shanghai, who meets the conditions within 14 days, shall be subject to quarantine observation for 14 days and shall not go out:
-Key areas. Those who come to Shanghai and return to Shanghai from key areas (from Hubei and passing through Hubei) shall be subjected to mandatory quarantine for 14 days and forbidden from going out; those who have fever symptoms shall be treated as required by regulation. Those who refuse to accept quarantine and other prevention and control measures, violating the regulations of the Public Security Administration, shall be dealt with seriously by the police as per law; those who constitute crimes shall be prosecuted and charged according to the criminal law.
-Close contacts confirmed by the epidemiological investigation of the health department of the municipality shall be subject to centralized insulation and put under medical observation. If the personnel refuse to cooperate, the police shall assist in taking compulsory measures according to law.
Personnel coming to Nanjing from epidemic focus areas or travelling to epidemic focus areas (Wuhan, Wenzhou and etc.) shall be subject to a home-based self-quarantine or a centralized quarantine observation. If the aforesaid personnel have symptoms such as fever or others of that nature within 14 days after arriving in Nanjing, they must immediately go to the fever clinic of the designated medical institution for check-up and screening and maintenance.
Those who reside in Hubei, Wenzhou, Taizhou and other key epidemic areas and areas of concern shall be dissuaded from leaving and shall not return to Suzhou for work before the epidemic situation is lifted. Personnel who have already returned to Suzhou shall be subject to self-quarantine at home or centralized quarantine according to local requirements. Only those who meet the health qualifications can return to work.
Employees who return to Suzhou from other regions shall strictly implement the health declaration system, and those who meet the health qualifications can return to work. In the case of centralized quarantine organized in enterprise dormitories, the enterprise shall strictly follow the regulation of management provided by the government and implement the related supporting services accordingly.
In the past two weeks, those who have stayed, traveled or lived in key epidemic areas such as Hubei, Wenzhou, Taizhou, etc., or who have been in close contact with confirmed patients or people from key epidemic areas and have a fever and cough, shall be quarantined for 14 days in strict accordance with local requirements.
Local employees who live with pneumonia suspected or confirmed patients, or where several persons suffer from a fever and cough, shall be quarantined for 14 days in strict accordance with local requirements.
The quarantine period starts from the date of arriving in Suzhou. During the quarantine, office activities such as remote meeting and online training can be carried out. After the end of the quarantine, if there are no infection symptoms, the employees can return to work. Once the employees are found to have symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection such as fever and cough, they shall immediately report to the related government department and take preventative measures, then arrange to go to the fever clinic of the nearest designated medical institution for treatment, and at the same time follow-up with the relevant information.
Note: There are certain differences in the implementation or filing methods specific to each district, county or city, subject to the notice of each region.
Different measures and policies have been adopted in different districts in Hangzhou regarding the epidemic control on personnel returning to Hangzhou. Most districts require a 14-day home-based self-quarantine for those who have a history of staying in key epidemic areas (Hubei, Wenzhou, Taizhou, Wenling, Huangyan) or close contact with personnel from key epidemic areas in the past 14 days. Government branches of towns, streets and villages (communities) should maintain stable public service and ensure supervision for the quarantine.
Note: There are certain differences in the implementation or filing methods specific to each district, subject to the notice of each region.
People returning from outside the city, whether they have residence in the city or not, need to be quarantined
-Those who have a residence: Those who return to Yubei District from outside the city, if they have no symptoms and have a place to live, shall be subject to a 14-day home-based self-quarantine.
-Those who have no residence and unable to leave temporarily: Shall be arranged to stay in Shengming International Hotel and Vienna Hotel for accommodation and quarantine monitoring.
The unified quarantine time is 14 days.
Enterprises shall submit and apply to the relevant departments for review and approval before the resumption of operation and production, and the specific resumption time shall be arranged by the relevant government departments.
Note: The review and approval process of resumption is different per administrative divisions. Please refer to the latest policies issued by each district for the specific approval process.
Establish epidemic prevention and control mechanisms, including:
-Preparation for epidemic prevention before resumption: investigate and maintain a record for the statistics of returned employees, establish inspection and quarantine systems; prepare epidemic prevention materials such as masks, goggles, thermometers, disinfectants, etc.; disinfect the internal area of the properties, equipment, vehicles, tableware, etc.; formulate epidemic-prevention-related training plans, prepare epidemic-prevention-related training materials; establish a emergency response plan for symptoms of employees found such as fever, dry cough or dyspnea, etc.
-Epidemic prevention after resumption: conduct propaganda training and training for epidemic prevention and control; control the flow of people in the enterprise, reduce personnel gathering activities; strengthen the temperature measurement and mask protection inspection of the working personnel, and strictly inspect the external personnel and vehicles; regularly clean and disinfect all areas in the building; record and report healthy and abnormal employees every day; improve the emergency medical and epidemic prevention system.
-Establish the distribution standards and receiving records for emergency epidemic prevention materials, including personal protective equipment, temperature measuring instruments, disinfection and sterilization, emergency support and other materials.
Safety precautions for the resumption of production and work, including:
-A feasible plan for the resumption of production and work shall be formulated according to the characteristics of the enterprise, and the main responsibility for safety production of the enterprise shall be allocated.
-Strengthen the investigation of safety risks and hidden dangers of the enterprise, comprehensively check the mechanical equipment, electrical circuit, high-risk process, safety protection facilities, emergency rescue facilities and places, links and parts with major safety risks, so as to eliminate safety risks.
-Carry out education and training of safety production for employees before going on duty, improve the safety awareness and ability of all employees.
-The management personnel at all levels shall inspect, supervise and circulate comments on the safety of daily production equipment and facilities and the correct wearing and safe operation of employees’ labor protection articles, etc.
-In case of hazardous operation, it can only be implemented after relevant regulations are strictly followed, protective measures taken, and after approval.
The enterprise shall self-check whether it has met the following standards and conditions for the resumption of operation and production:
-An appropriate plan for epidemic prevention and control and the resumption of work.
The plan for the resumption of work shall include the organizational structure, division of responsibilities, epidemic prevention and control measures, epidemic prevention and control materials reserve, etc. of the enterprise.
-Strict staff screening and management.
Before the resumption of work, the enterprise shall check and register employees, and arrange the centralized quarantine or home-based quarantine for 14 days for personnel who have been in the key epidemic areas outside of the province, carry out temperature tests in an a comprehensive way, improve health protection for the staff, and prohibit gathering activities.
-Epidemic prevention and control in public places of enterprises.
The production and operation site, construction site and living area shall apply closed-off management, and the key areas (central air conditioning, elevator room, stairwell, toilet) , facilities and equipment shall be cleaned and disinfected regularly according to the requirements; in the canteen and dining area, the prevention and control measures shall be implemented according to the requirements, and the meals must be offered individually.
-Allocate responsibility for maintaining normal market operation order.
Make every effort to ensure the production and transportation of epidemic prevention materials and the market supply of main and non-staple foods, so as to meet the needs of epidemic prevention and public safety.
-Organization of returning to work in staggered shifts.
Conscientiously fulfill the responsibility of epidemic prevention and control, scientifically formulate the plan and measures for returning to work off-peak, flexibly arrange employees to return to work in batches, gather statistics of employees’ returning time in advance, and resume off-peak operation
Enterprises that meet the conditions shall apply for the review and approval of the resumption of production and work. The review and approval process are as follows:
-Application for the resumption of work. The enterprise shall carry out self-inspection and self-modification according to the requirements of epidemic prevention and control, and submit the Investigation Form for Personnel of Enterprise, Prevention and Control Plan, and Letter of Commitment for Epidemic Prevention and Control, in triplicate to the enterprise special group of the regional epidemic prevention and control headquarters through electronic communication channels (QQ, wechat, email, mobile app, etc.).
-Approval for the resumption of work. The enterprise special group of the regional epidemic prevention and control headquarters shall examine the application within 24 hours. Enterprises with more than 3000 people returning to work will also be reported to the enterprise special group of the municipal epidemic prevention and control headquarters for review.
-On-site inspection. After approval, in accordance with the principle of hierarchical responsibility, the special enterprise group of the municipal and district epidemic prevention and control headquarters shall organize the audit team to conduct an on-site inspection and then issue the notice of approval to resume work.
Establish the system of health declaration and staff morning inspection
-Specific personnel shall be assigned for temperature measurement of each employee. Enterprises with shuttle buses shall administer temperature measurements before employees get on the shuttle bus, and those with symptoms shall be forbidden to take the shuttle bus or enter the unit. For staff with a fever, cough and other symptoms, they shall be immediately guided to the designated fever clinics for consultation.
-Monitor, record information and measure the temperature of external personnel. External personnel shall be accompanied by reception personnel to the designated place for their matters.
Strengthen the process management of employees during work and on the way to work
-Closed-off management shall be carried out for the working places and centralized residential areas of enterprise employees.
-Employees are required to fix the routes to and from work, wear masks on the way, and go home directly after work to reduce time outside.
-It is recommended that employees drive to work, and that enterprises with conditions providing shuttle bus service administer appropriate disinfection.
Disinfection and cleaning of the production and office places, and reduce the use of manned elevators
-Strengthen the environmental cleaning of the plant area, doors, corridors, elevators, meeting rooms, workshops, toilets, production measures, business place, staff canteen, staff dormitory and other places, disinfection shall be administered at least twice a day.
-Stop the use of the elevator from the sixth floor down and stop the central air conditioning and ventilation system.
Take preventative and control measures in the dining process, and implement individual meals
-Enterprises with canteens shall provide meals via centralized management and offer individual meals separately.
-Enterprises without canteens can order meals via centralized management and offer individual meals separately.
Promote online office, reduce meetings and going out, and guarantee ventilation and disinfection
-Stop exhibitions, sales exhibitions, HR recruitment and other gathering meetings and activities, and reduce the number of expatriates.
-For meetings that are necessary to be held, reduce the number of people, and guarantee ventilation and disinfection.
Improve the management in safety and environmental protection and make emergency plans for the epidemic situation
Prepare the prevention and control plans for safety production and environmental protection, regarding emergency situations such as lack of staff due to the epidemic situation of employees in important posts. If the staff in important posts are insufficient to meet the conditions for safe production due to the epidemic situation, enterprises shall immediately suspend operation and production so as to prevent the occurrence of production accidents.
Before starting and returning to work, the enterprise shall first complete self-inspection in seven aspects to ensure:
Complete organization construction;
Complete formulation of prevention and control plan;
Complete preparation of funds and materials for epidemic prevention and control;
Health examination for all staff;
Improvement and perfecting personnel management;
Disinfection of every area;
Improvement and perfecting daily management.
The enterprise shall, 3 days in advance, file to the competent authorities in order to return to work, and the resumption can only begin upon the approval of filing.
The enterprise shall strictly implement the requirements of epidemic prevention and control, and return to work safely and orderly：
The person in charge of the enterprise shall convene a special meeting in person before returning to work, study and formulate a thorough plan for returning to work and the relevant preparation thereof;
The person in charge of the enterprise shall personally organize the team to carry out special safety inspection;
The enterprise shall strictly implement the safety precautions for dangerous areas, dangerous processes, important posts and weaknesses, strengthen the safety training and education of employees, and strengthen the emergency response work;
The enterprise shall organize a safety acceptance before the resumption of work, which shall be verified and confirmed by the relevant safety technical personnel of the enterprise, so as to ensure that the acceptance is safe before the resumption of work;
The enterprise shall organize a safety training for all employees to ensure that the employees have the necessary safety production knowledge, shall be aware of the relevant safety production rules and regulations and safety operation procedures, the safety operation skills of the post and the corresponding emergency response measures.
Note: All districts and counties in Suzhou are subject to territorial management, and the specific resumption policy released by each district and county shall prevail.
On the premise of meeting the epidemic prevention and control conditions, enterprises may resume work in batches:
Industrial enterprises:
From February 10, for enterprises in line with the “white list” (i.e. enterprises that are necessary for epidemic prevention and control, for ensuring urban operation and enterprise production, for people’s livelihood, for key project construction and other enterprises that are related to the vital national economy and people’s livelihood), which primarily employ local employees and with complete local upstream and downstream industrial chains and supply chains;
From February 15, for enterprises with employees who mainly come from other non-epidemic areas and with local industrial chains and relatively complete supply chains;
From February 20, for other industrial enterprises.
Enterprises in the service industry:
From February 10, for hotels and catering enterprises that provide necessary production and living services for enterprises and residents (only providing takeaway services is allowed, eating in the hall is forbidden) and commercial circulation enterprises (including general logistics, e-commerce logistics, warehousing logistics, etc.);
From February 15, for enterprises which provide consultation on investment and financing, scientific and technological, and enterprise management/production;
From February 20, for real estate development enterprises, housing online agencies, off-line agencies and other real estate service enterprises; service enterprises that are likely to lead to large-scale population concentration will be suspended from the resumption of work. The specific time will be notified at a later date, including the long-distance passenger transport industry, wholesale market (excluding wholesale market of agricultural products), housekeeping industry, real estate development enterprise sales department, cinemas, theaters and other entertainment venues, museums, art galleries, exhibition halls, scenic spots, travel agencies and other cultural tourism and business organizations.
Enterprises in the construction industry:
From February 10, for key livelihood projects (including municipal key projects, rail transit projects, The 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games projects, provincial and municipal key projects, etc.) and necessary supporting enterprises such as concrete production, sand transportation, etc.;
From February 15, for resettlement housing construction and other general livelihood projects;
From February 20, other projects (including real estate and other construction projects) with conditions。
Enterprises through the Internet and other information technology to carry out online office, remote office and home office may enjoy the priority of resumption of work.
Enterprises shall implement the filing procedure for the resumption of work, and can return to work only after the application is approved
The enterprise shall self-check whether it meets the conditions for the resumption of work and production, and apply for the resumption of work three days in advance through the “Digital Platform for Strict Control and Orderly Resumption of Work of Enterprises in Hangzhou”, which shall be reviewed by classification and by level, and then resume work after being approved.
Enterprises with the number of workers returning to work less than 100 shall report to the local towns and streets; other enterprises shall report to the local governments and management committees.
Enterprises shall implement the filing procedure for the resumption of work and production
Before the resumption of production and work, enterprises must submit a resumption report form and a letter of commitment for epidemic prevention and control. Enterprises within a park shall report to the park, other enterprises shall report to their towns (streets), and individual industrial and commercial households shall report to their villages (communities). If there are other regulations in the industry, they shall prevail. The enterprise must make a safety commitment to the employees who resume production. The government offices in the parks and towns (streets) where the enterprises are located should strengthen supervision, inspection and guidance on the implementation of the epidemic prevention and control measures and also those plans of the enterprises, and strictly prevent the new virus infection and spreading caused by the gathering of personnel.
Fulfillment of the responsibility for epidemic prevention and control
Enterprises returning to production and work should strictly implement the “Five-Must” prevention and control commitment: 1. The enterprise must establish an epidemic prevention and control leading group led by the person in charge, and form a special board responsible for epidemic prevention and control, and formulate its epidemic prevention and control work plan and emergency plan; 2. The enterprise must strictly implement all epidemic prevention measures, implement the person in charge of epidemic prevention and control level by level, and willingly assume the responsibility and expenditure for its prevention and control; 3. The enterprise must make commitments not to recruit new personnel from epidemic areas or with close contacts, who do not meet the requirements of prevention and control; 4. The enterprise must strictly implement isolation medical observation measures for workers who return from outside of the city for at least 14 days; 5. The enterprise must strictly implement the requirements in accordance with the “Enterprises and Employees’ Epidemic Prevention and Control Operation Manual”. It is important to promptly inspect employees and strengthen protection.
Enterprises should check in advance the source of each employee and track their activities within 14 days and give priority to local employees to return to work. For employees who have a history of being in Hubei in the past 14 days, and have a history of close contact with Hubei residents or people who are confirmed cases, they must strictly implement measures such as home quarantine or isolation for medical observation at the specified place of residence; pregnant women, employees with chronic underlying diseases, and the elderly (60 and over) should not be scheduled to return to work. For employees who return to Chongqing from other areas, and are in need to return to work due to production, they can return to work according to the method of “working in the factory area and not leaving the factory area, dormitory or designated area within 14 days” on the condition that their body temperature is normal and there is no history of close contact with Wuhan residents. At the same time, enterprises are required to do a good job of daily health monitoring and registration, and immediately report abnormal conditions to the local government and deal with them according to relevant regulations for epidemic prevention and control.
Enterprises should prepare materials and supplies for the prevention and control of epidemic conditions such as infrared temperature detectors, disinfectants, masks, etc., implement quarantine places, ensure ventilation of houses, and regularly complete comprehensive disinfection and sanitation of the office area, canteens, and vehicles. Enterprises are also required to secure the stable living areas for employees, and administer a temporary quarantine place; if there’s no conditions for the temporary quarantine place in the working place, another site for quarantine and observation should be found and reported to the local government offices in parks or towns (streets) as the unified arrangement in parks and districts.
The enterprise shall train all employees on epidemic prevention and control before returning to work, establish a temperature detection procedure and a disease reporting system, and detect the temperature of commuters in the morning and evening every day. Once abnormal conditions such as fever and cough are found, they shall be reported and handled in time. The enterprise should implement detailed management to ensure the safety of the working places; in the canteen, a time-sharing dining system shall be implemented; meetings should be shortened, and gathering in a meeting is forbidden; within workplaces, it is required to reasonably arrange areas of work and keep distance among the staff and reduce staff gatherings.
Sources:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/FvOY5XrplA_kkbbO2ocYpg
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8ofl7dY3qG68MWGRdlUVlA
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mkSSC_6Jji8deTswIJ0EEQ
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fKs-GQP8aUk_qObC-x_Q0g
DISCLAIMER
The present document is only a courtesy translation made by D’Andrea & Partners based on the literal meaning of the original notices. This document does not represent a formal legal opinion. Any transfer of any total or partial reproduction is strictly forbidden unless under the previous authorization of D’Andrea & Partners.
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