Businesses warned premises could be shut down if they don’t follow Wales’ Covid-19 rules

Economy Minister Ken Skates has warned businesses that their premises could be closed if they do not follow Wales’ Covid-19 rules.

As more businesses reopen and people who cannot work from home return to work, the Minister called on employers and workers to do all they can to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Employers and employees have taken action to ensure the safety of their workplaces and I want to thank them all for the steps they have put in place,” he said.

“However, I want to remind all businesses operating in Wales they are subject to specific legal requirements that are designed to help contain the virus.

“Failure to do so could lead to premises having to close.”

‘Serious’

He urged all workers to wash their hands frequently and, wherever possible, keep a distance of two metres between them and their work colleagues or customers.

Surfaces and equipment should be cleaned regularly, and people should cover their mouths when they cough and avoid touching their face or face covering.

“It’s absolutely vital everyone takes steps to protect themselves and others in the workplace – this includes maintaining a two metre physical distance wherever possible,” Ken Skates said.

“These measures will help us to continue to keep coronavirus cases low in Wales.

“Coronavirus is extremely serious and it is still circulating. We must all do everything we can to stay safe in the workplace and support each other in doing so.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, should self-isolate and stay away from the workplace until they have had a test to protect their fellow workers and the wider public.

“Each and every one of us has an important role to play in keeping ourselves, our work colleagues and our clients and customers safe.”

Practical

Laws made by the Welsh Government require all businesses in Wales to take every reasonable action to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus on their premises.

To do so, the starting point is ensuring that their employees can maintain a two metre distance while they are at work.

However, the law acknowledges the challenges and impracticality of maintaining physical distancing in some settings, the Welsh Government said.

In those circumstances it is particularly important for employers to take other measures to minimise face to face contact, such as erecting screens, rearranging furniture and other fittings or adopting one way systems.

Face coverings should also be worn in crowded or confined spaces where other measures aren’t practical.