Decision 3328/QD-BCD 2021 Ho Chi Minh City set of criteria for assessing safe operations at production establishments

DECISION

On promulgating the set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in the prevention and control of COVID-19 at production, business and commercial establishments in Ho Chi Minh City

___________________

HEAD OF HO CHI MINH CITY STEERING COMMITTEE FOR COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of Local Administration dated June 19, 2015; the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration dated November 22, 2019;

Pursuant to the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases dated November 21, 2007;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 101/2010/ND-CP dated September 30, 2010, on detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases on measures for quarantine, involuntary quarantine, typical epidemic prevention;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 447/QD-TTg dated April 01, 2020, on announcement of the COVID-19 epidemic;

Pursuant to the Decision No. 2194/QD-BCDQG dated May 27, 2020, of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, promulgating “the Guidance on the prevention, control, and assessment of the risk of COVID-19 infection at the workplaces and dormitories for workers”;

Pursuant to the Ministry of Health’s Official Dispatch No. 5522/BYT-MT dated July 12, 2021, regarding the COVID-19 prevention and control plan template for production and business establishments and the form of commitment to prevent pandemic at boarding houses for workers;

Pursuant to the Ministry of Health’s Official Dispatch No. 6666/BYT-MT dated August 16, 2021, guiding the COVID-19 prevention and control at agencies and units;

In consideration of the proposal of the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade in the Report No. 4163/TTr-SCT dated September 15, 2021 and opinions of the Director of the Department of Health in the Official Dispatch No. 6625/SYT-NVY dated September 15, 2021.

                                           DECIDES:

Article 1. To promulgate together with this Decision the set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in the prevention and control of COVID-19 at production, business and commercial establishments in Ho Chi Minh City, including:

- Set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at supermarkets, commercial centers, mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at wholesale markets in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at production facilities/enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at working offices of manufacturing, trading, and service-providing establishments in Ho Chi Minh City.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date of its signing. Based on the implementation, the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control shall consider amending and supplementing criteria according to the pandemic prevention and control in the City.

Article 3. Chief Office of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Directors of the Department of Industry and Trade and the Department of Health, Heads of departments, agencies and sectors of the City, Chairpersons of People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc City, Chairpersons of People's Committees of wards, communes and townships, relevant organizations and individuals shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision./.

For the Head of the Steering Committee

The Deputy Head of the Standing Committee

Le Hoa Binh

The Deputy Head of the Standing Committee

People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City
 

SET OF CRITERIA

For assessment of safety in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control in production and trading activities in Ho Chi Minh City
(Issued together with Decision No. 3328/QD-BCD dated September 15, 2021 of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Ho Chi Minh City)

I. SCOPE OF REGULATION, SUBJECTS AND CONDITIONS OF APPLICATION

1. Scope of regulation

The establishments that trade and supply goods (supermarkets, commercial centers, mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores; traditional markets, wholesale markets); production facilities/enterprises; working offices of manufacturing, trading, and service-providing establishments in the city (hereinafter referred to as establishments). 

2. Subjects of application 

Employees and employers at the establishments; supply partners; customers purchasing and using goods and services provided by the above-mentioned establishments.

3. Conditions of application 

3.1. Employees and employers at the establishments; supply partners; customers purchasing and using goods and services shall obtain “COVID Green Cards” and comply with the 5K rules of the Ministry of Health. 

3.2. Conditions for “COVID Green Cards”

A person will obtain a “COVID Green Card” when he/she fully meets the following conditions: 

(1) Being tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 (rapid antigen test or RT-PCR test), for the occupations requiring testing as prescribed.

(2) Being vaccinated or had been infected with COVID-19 and recovered.

(3) Having no close contact with F0 cases within 14 days.

The condition of vaccination: Getting at least 01 jab of the vaccines requiring 2 doses and having been vaccinated for at least 02 weeks; having been vaccinated for at least 02 weeks with the vaccines requiring 01 dose. People who got 01 jab (of the vaccines requiring 2 doses) shall have their range of activities and contact more restricted than those who got full 02 jabs (the group of people with “COVID Green Cards (restricted range of activities)”). 

The condition of having been infected with COVID-19 and recovered: People who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and recovered from the disease, obtained hospital discharge certificates or quarantine completion certificates issued by the Steering Committees for Pandemic Prevention and Control of wards, communes, or townships. Quarantine completion certificates shall be issued for F0 cases that are isolated at home in accordance with regulations or for those who self-tested and self-isolated at home with the certification of the leaders of their residential groups/people's groups or the medical groups in charge of taking care of F0 cases at home run by medical universities, “ATM Oxy” charity organizations, volunteers who are retired doctors, etc. Those without such certification shall fulfill the condition of vaccination.

3.3. Conditions for safe operation

- People who have obtained “COVID Green Cards”: can participate in production and social activities depending on the extent of the anti-pandemic work of the city.

- People who have obtained “COVID Green Cards (restricted range of activities)”: can participate in more restricted activities depending on working environment conditions, the risk of infection and the importance of the activities they participate in.

II. PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

Safety measures to prevent and control the pandemic must be ensured in accordance with the regulations and considered as a top principal factor. The establishments can only produce and trade when they meet the criteria for safe operation while preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Goods retail activities or trading and service-providing activities which deliver goods to customers via goods transfer services shall be carried out by contactless methods. In case of payment in cash, there must be separate trays to give and take the money; the goods must be delivered via intermediates to avoid direct contact.

III. CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION

The establishments shall be allowed to operate when they meet the criteria for assessing safety in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control in the following fields:

1. The set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at supermarkets, commercial centers, mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores in Ho Chi Minh City (attached to Appendix 1).

2. The set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City (attached to Appendix 2).

3. The set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at wholesale markets in Ho Chi Minh City (attached to Appendix 3).

4. The set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at production facilities/enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City (attached to Appendix 4).

5. The set of criteria for assessment of safe operations in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control at working offices of manufacturing, trading, and service-providing establishments in Ho Chi Minh City (attached to Appendix 5). 

IV. ASSESSING THE SAFETY LEVEL OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PREVENTION AND CONTROL AT THE ESTABLISHMENTS

1. The establishments shall self-assess and implement these Criteria, take responsibility for the results of the assessment and notify the competent authorities to inspect them. The establishments operating in export processing zones, industrial parks and high-tech parks shall notify such to the Management Board of Industrial Parks and Export Processing Zones and the Management Board of Hi-Tech Parks. Other establishments shall notify the People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc city. 

The self-assessment and implementation of these Criteria shall be conducted at each facility in the distribution systems, each product display area in the markets, and in each operating area (each workshop, production line, production area, working cluster, office) in order to ensure the promptly zoning and handling of COVID-19 cases on the principle of not affecting and maintaining safe operations of other production areas and business points. 

2. Methods of assessment 

- The establishments must meet the prescribed criteria to be allowed to operate.

- The establishments that do not meet the prescribed criteria shall not be allowed to operate and must take remedial measures and re-assess the safety level.

- The suspension of operation or the implementation of remedial measures of the establishments shall be conducted at each facility in the distribution systems, each product display area in the markets, and in each workshop, production line, production area, working cluster, office, etc. depending on the extent of the safety level for pandemic prevention and control.

3. Trading establishments (supermarkets, commercial centers, mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores) and production facilities/enterprises that meet the criteria for assessing safety in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control shall be allowed to operate. 

V. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Department of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications, the Department of Health, and the People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc city in implementing and guiding the establishments to implement these Criteria. 

2. The city's Management Board of Industrial Parks and Export Processing Zones and the Management Board of Hi-Tech Parks; the People's Committees of Thu Duc city and other districts shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade and the related establishments in monitoring, supervising and inspecting the assessment of the safety in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control of the establishments in the city; handling violations in accordance with the law provisions on pandemic prevention and control as well as other law provisions, and requesting the violating establishments to take remedial measures in order to be allowed to operate./. 

SET OF CRITERIA (APPENDIX 1)
For assessment of safe operations in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control at supermarkets, commercial centers, mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores in Ho Chi Minh City
(Issued together with Decision No. 3328/QD-BCD dated September 15, 2021 of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Ho Chi Minh City)

1. Criterion 1 (CRIT 1): For employees and customers 

Employees (managers, traders, regular employees of the establishments, delivery staff, assistants, etc.) and customers (shoppers, suppliers, visitors, etc.) must meet the following conditions:

a. Customers; the staff that have direct contact with customers (shelf staff, cashiers, etc.): must obtain “COVID Green Cards”. Other staff: must obtain at least the “COVID Green Cards (restricted range of activities)”.

b. Employees returning to work for the first time: must obtain valid negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 (rapid antigen test or RT-PCR test) in accordance with the regulations of the health sector.

c. Drivers, delivery staff of goods suppliers: must obtain “COVID Green Cards” and negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 (rapid antigen test or RT-PCR test) which are still valid in accordance with the regulations of the health sector before going to work.

- Met all the conditions: Qualified; 

- Failed to meet the conditions: Unqualified. 

2. Criterion 2 (CRIT 2): Regulations on keeping the safe distance in the areas 

a. The density of people working at a business location must be ensured in accordance with the regulations on pandemic prevention and control (with the minimum density of 4m²/person based on the business area) and a minimum distance of 2m between the two people must be kept. 

b. There are plans and measures for customers to queue when shopping and regulations on the number of visitors in and out so as to avoid congestion and keep a safe distance as prescribed.

c. There are measures to ensure a safe distance in the parking lots, warehouses and restrooms (Optional for mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores). 

d. There are entrance and exit maps; At the entrances and exits, there must be on-way separate passages and stripes to guide the exit and entry (Optional for mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores). 

- At the entrances, there must be social distancing lines and the minimum distance of 2m between the two people must be kept.

- At the cashier counters, there must be safety partitions between the cashiers and the customers or the distance of more than 2m between the cashiers and the customers must be maintained; there must be lines to keep a minimum distance of 2m between the two customers when they queue up for payment. Non-cash payment is encouraged. In case of payment in cash, there must be separate trays to give and take the money; the goods must be delivered in intermediates to avoid direct contact.

- Fully met the requirements: Qualified; 

- Not fully met the requirements: Unqualified. 

3. Criterion 3 (CRIT 3): Inspection and monitoring of pandemic prevention and control measures at the establishments 

a. Screening: making electronic health declarations; issuing “COVID Green Cards/COVID Green Cards (restricted range of activities)” for the right subjects; checking body temperature; wearing face masks; asking employees, traders, workers, and customers to sanitize their hands before shopping or working.

b. Deploying forces to check, supervise and remind the wearing of face masks and social distancing. Employees of mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores can concurrently perform such supervision and reminding.

c. Employees shall not be allowed to work when they have one of the signs/symptoms such as fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath. When employees or customers with the above-mentioned signs/symptoms are detected, medical examination measures must be conducted in accordance with the regulations and guidelines of the health sector.

- Fully implemented the contents: Qualified; 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

4. Criterion 4 (CRIT 4): Providing medical equipment and supplies for pandemic prevention and control at the establishments

Medical equipment and supplies in service of pandemic prevention and control shall be provided at the establishments and reasonably arranged in parking lots, entrances, cashier counters, restrooms, service areas, product display areas, and warehouses.

a. Equipment: body thermometers, disinfectant sprayers, QR code scanners and devices to verify “COVID Green Cards,” etc. at the entrances and cashier counters.

b. Medical supplies: disinfectant solutions, special-use masks and medical masks, anti-droplet face shields, medical gloves for workers who have direct contact with the customers such as in parking lots, cashier counters, product display areas.

c. Other medical equipment and supplies to handle suspected cases in accordance with the guidelines of the health sector.

- Fully equipped: Qualified; 

- Not fully equipped or failed to equip: Unqualified. 

5. Criterion 5 (CRIT 5): Ensuring environmental sanitation for pandemic prevention and control in the areas 

a. Goods loading and unloading areas must be separated from the shopping areas (Optional for mini supermarkets, convenience stores, food retail stores). 

b. The surface of things that customers often touch in the sales areas, such as shopping carts, door handles, common toilets, elevator buttons, escalator handrails, children's playgrounds (if any), etc. shall be disinfected at least 04 times/day.

c. The floors, common aisles, tables and chairs, objects in the rooms, counters, stalls, etc. shall be disinfected at least once a day.

d. There shall be trash cans with lids. Waste collectors must use face masks, anti-droplet goggles, and medical gloves. Garbage storages and ways of transporting collected wastes shall be disinfected at least once a day.

e. Ventilation in the rooms, sales booths, amusement parks, etc. (if any) shall be intensified; The use of air conditioners shall be limited in order to ensure that the temperature in the room is not lower than 25°C (except for fresh food and cold storage areas). 

- Fully implemented: Qualified; 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

6. Criterion 6 (CRIT 6): Disseminating information about pandemic prevention and control at the establishments

a. Using loudspeakers to remind customers and employees to regularly take preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic at least every 2 hours or taking other alternative measures such as placing warning signs, information boards, or paintings, etc. right at the entrances or the places where it is easy for people to see the regulations on pandemic prevention and control.

b. Publicizing contacts of the officers in charge of COVID-19 prevention and control at the establishments and contacts of the local medical facilities, or hotlines of the local authorities at the entrances the places where it is easy for people to see them, thus promoting the coordination in receiving information, complaints, and recommendations from customers between the establishments and local authorities.

- Implemented: Qualified; 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

7. Criterion 7 (CRIT 7): Working out plans/solutions for pandemic prevention and control at the establishments

Working out plans/solutions for the COVID-19 prevention and control at the establishments following the guidelines of the health sector. Of them, there must be plans to handle suspected and infected cases of COVID-19 that are detected at the establishments; plans to suspend and resume the operations when the remedial measures have been taken to ensure safety for the pandemic prevention and control; plans to organize testing and screening of SARS-CoV-2 for employees and staff in accordance with the guidelines of the health sector.

Depending on the realities and results of inspection and assessment to adjust the plans/solutions accordingly. Notifying the local authorities of the places where the establishments are based for inspection. 

- Worked out and implemented plans/solutions: Qualified; 

- Have no plans/solutions or failed to implement them: Unqualified./. 

SET OF CRITERIA (APPENDIX 5)

For assessment of safe operations in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control at working offices of manufacturing, trading, and service-providing establishments in Ho Chi Minh City
(Issued together with Decision No. 3328/QD-BCD dated September 15, 2021 of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Ho Chi Minh City)

1. Criterion 1 (CRIT 1): For employees 

The employees must meet the following conditions:

a. Those who have direct contact with outsiders: must obtain “COVID Green Cards”. Other employees: must obtain at least “COVID Green Cards (restricted range of activities)”.

b. Employees returning to work for the first time: must obtain at least “COVID Green Cards (restricted range of activities)” and valid negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 (rapid antigen test or RT-PCR test) in accordance with the regulations of the health sector.

- Fully met the conditions: Qualified; 

- Failed to fully meet the conditions: Unqualified. 

2. Criterion 2 (CRIT 2): Regulations on safe distance at work 

The distance between two seats in a working room, meeting room, or reception room must be at least 2m or there must be a safety partition between two seats; the room temperature must not be lower than 25°C. 

- Fully implemented: Qualified 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

3. Criterion 3 (CRIT 3): Inspecting and supervising the observation of regulations on pandemic prevention and control at the workplaces

a. Arranging staff to check body temperatures, wearing face masks, washing hands with sanitizers, making electronic health declarations, ensuring a minimum distance of 2m between two people and avoiding crowded gatherings of workers or visitors at the entrances and exits of the offices.

b. Working out and implementing plans on internal inspection and supervision; recording the results and providing guidance on remedial measures (if any) with regard to the implementation of preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic at the establishments.

- Fully implemented: Qualified 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

4. Criterion 4 (CRIT 4): Providing equipment and medical supplies for pandemic prevention and control at the workplaces 

a. Offices of the establishments with 100 employees or more must have medical rooms and medicine cabinets so as to take care of and temporarily isolate employees who show signs of being infected with COVID-19.

b. Medical equipment and supplies for the pandemic prevention and control shall be provided at the workplaces and reasonably arranged in other areas in the offices. 

- Equipment: body thermometers, disinfectant sprayers, QR code scanners and devices to verify “COVID Green Cards”, etc. at the entrances and cashier counters.

- Medical supplies: hand sanitizers at the following positions: entrances and doors of the offices, meeting rooms, reception rooms, medical rooms and restrooms; at each table in the meeting rooms or reception rooms.

- Other medical equipment and supplies to handle suspected cases in accordance with the guidelines of the health sector.

- Fully implemented: Qualified 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

5. Criterion 5 (CRIT 5): Ensuring environmental sanitation for pandemic prevention and control at the workplaces 

a. Ensuring that there is at least 01 restroom for 10 female employees (or 15 male employees); as well as at least 01 hand wash basin for 10 employees and sufficient clean water and soap in the restrooms.

b. Periodically cleaning and disinfecting: Working rooms, meeting rooms and reception rooms at least once a week; restrooms and medical rooms at least once a day.

c. Cleaning and disinfecting other areas in accordance with regulations of the health sector.

d. Placing containers for domestic and medical wastes with lids at convenient and suitable locations in working rooms, meeting rooms, reception rooms, medical rooms, restrooms, and public areas.

- Fully implemented: Qualified 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

6. Criterion 6 (CRIT 6): Disseminating information about pandemic prevention and control at the workplaces

a. Reminding employees to take preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in suitable ways.

b. Publicizing contacts of the officers in charge of COVID-19 prevention and control at the establishments and contacts of the local medical facilities in order to promote the coordination in receiving information, complaints, and recommendations from employees between the establishments and local authorities.

- Fully implemented: Qualified 

- Failed to implement or not fully implemented: Unqualified. 

7. Criterion 7 (CRIT 7): Working out plans/solutions for pandemic prevention and control at the workplaces

Working out plans/solutions for the COVID-19 prevention and control at the establishments following the guidelines of the health sector. Of them, there must be plans to handle suspected and infected cases of COVID-19 that are detected at the establishments; plans to organize testing and screening of SARS-CoV-2 for employees and staff in accordance with the guidelines of the health sector.

Depending on the realities and results of inspection and assessment to adjust the plans/solutions accordingly. Notifying the local authorities of the places where the establishments are based for inspection. 

- Worked out and implemented plans/solutions: Qualified; 

- Have no plans/solutions or failed to implement them: Unqualified./. 

* Some Appendices are not translated herein.