COVID 19: Guidelines and Recommendations for Safeguarding staff on Horticulture facilities

This document is prepared to inform horticulture producers on how to mitigate for an outbreak of COVID-19 on their units and provide advice on how to minimise the risk of the spread by re-enforcing prescribed physical distancing measures, hygiene measures and training. (Updated on 19/03/2021)

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“The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in a workplace or any setting is to practice physical distancing, adopt proper hand hygiene and follow respiratory etiquette”

The scenarios below will guide producers on how to deal with employees who show symptoms of the virus. Detailed information can also be found in the Governments’ work safely protocol, on the HSE website and from the NSAI.

Critical Action Points

1. All staff must maintain a minimum distance of at least 2m between each other at all times. This significantly reduces the number of on farm close contacts for any individual. This reduces the possibility that all staff will need to self-isolate, should one employee become ill.
2. Avoid all face to face contact where possible.
3. All Staff should regularly wash their hands throughout the day. This should be facilitated by easy access to proper handwashing facilities, with access to warm water and soap.
4. Encourage staff to download the COVID-19 tracker app
5. All staff should maintain a close contact log during working hours. A close contact is classed as anyone within 2m distance for more than 15 minutes or anyone you have spent more than 2 hours with in an enclosed area regardless of distance.
6. All staff should wear a face covering at all times when on-site
7. Management should ensure that hand sanitization products are approved for use by visiting the pesticide control service (PCS) website.