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Guidelines for organizers of business meetings and conferences during the SARS-CoV-2 virus epidemic in Poland

The Ministry of Development has published guidelines prepared in cooperation with the Chief Sanitary Inspector and the industry for organizers of business meetings, training sessions, conferences and congresses during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic.

Photo GOV.PL

Pursuant to a government ordinance, events may be organized, subject to compliance with the sanitary regime and the dedication of 4 sq m. space (when it comes to organizing a meeting at a facility) per one participant (not counting the event staff) the Ministry of Development published detailed guidelines. They are to ensure safety at the venue of the event for the participants, service staff and suppliers, they present preventive measures and procedures in the event of suspected coronavirus infection on the part of the participant or service staff. The guidelines have been divided into four parts. According to the ministry, the purpose of the implemented procedures is to increase the security of all event participants, reduce the number of contacts at the meeting point and in each time period.

Until the borders are fully re-opened, only national events can be organized. The arrangement of the room (furniture arrangement) should be adapted to the possibility of maintaining the 2-meter distance mentioned in the ordinance and prevent the event participant from choosing their own places. Providing catering in the form of buffets will not be possible, and the tables must be positioned at an appropriate distance from each other. The guidelines recommend, if possible, resignation from any front desk. There should also be a 2-meter distance between guests in the queue before entering the event. The document contains detailed information on, among others disinfection, organization of the front desk (if it is an essential element of the meeting), cloakrooms, toilets, entrances and exits.

Business meetings, training sessions, conferences and congresses

  1. Increasing safety and health protection for all participants of meetings / events and employees / suppliers servicing a given meeting / event.
  2. Limiting the number of contacts at the meeting / event venue, in each time frame, as protection against the risk of coronavirus infection.
  3. Developing a comprehensive set of security procedures for COVID-19 for use throughout the entire supply chain and operations related to the events and meetings industry.
  4. Comprehensive action adapted to the current epidemiological situation and applicable law.

The guidelines are divided into four parts:

  1. Ensuring security at the event / meeting venue
  2. Ensuring the safety of participants / service staff / event / meeting suppliers
  3. Preventive procedures: suspected coronavirus infection of an employee / event / meeting service staff
  4. Procedures to be followed in the event of a suspected coronavirus infection of person / participant of an event / meeting

Ensuring safety at the event / meeting venue

  1. Adjustment of the number of participants to the applicable provisions.
  2. The restrictions must be strictly observed and the number of people staying in the event area should be controlled.
  3. Only national events / meetings shall be carried out until full restoration of border traffic.
  4. The spatial arrangement (the so-called set-up, i.e. arrangement of chairs, tables, stages, etc.) of meetings / events should be organized in the following way:
    • ensuring increased physical distance between meeting / event participants, the min. of 2 meters;
    • preventing the participant from choosing a place independently of the event / meeting organizer (places / chairs etc. should be marked and assigned to a given person).
  5. An adequate number of liquid dispensers for hand disinfection available to event / meeting participants should be provided at the meeting / event location, in particular at the entrances to the meeting area, in the front desk area, at the entrance to elevators, catering outlets and at the entrance / exit from toilets.
  6. Regular (several times a day, at least every hour, depending on the number of participants, scale of the project, cleaning of common areas with which participants of the event / meeting have contact should be provided, such as: toilets, elevators, door handles, handrails, tops, chair backs, light switches, buttons, handles, and other frequently touched surfaces.
  7. Proper ventilation should be maintained in the rooms, they should be ventilated frequently (especially before and after the event / meeting itself) and thoroughly washed / cleaned with the use of appropriate cleaning agents for the event / meeting both before and after its end. (immediately).
  8. Organizing entry / exit zones to the event / meeting area in accordance with the following recommendations:
    • In a prominent place before entering the meeting / event area, instructions should be placed for washing hands, putting on and removing gloves, putting on and removing a mask, and for dispensers with disinfectant liquid - instructions for proper hand disinfection.
    • Waiting in queue to enter the meeting area should allow the min. 2-meter distance between participants of the event / meeting.
    • Within the possibility of providing contactless access to the event / meeting area (e.g. permanent opening and locking the door).
    • Organizers should limit the possibility of contact between people entering and leaving as much as possible, limit the possibility of participants gathering in communication routes in such a way that it is impossible to keep a proper distance. Exit from the meeting area should be prepared in a different place than the entrance and clearly marked with a ban on leaving using the entrance.
  9. Reducing the maximum number of people who can simultaneously stay in the elevator (the maximum permissible number of people divided by 3, excluding families), the use of elevators by persons who have difficulties in moving between floors is recommended
  10. Organizing the front desk / registration point for meeting / event participants in accordance with the following recommendations:
    • In stage I, resigning from the front desk / registration point of the meeting / event participants and having earlier online registration and earlier issue / forwarding by the event / meeting organizer of relevant identifiers or digital codes enabling efficient / non-contact confirmation of the identity of event / meeting participants by increasing the number of staff without having to direct the event / meeting participants to a point dedicated in this regard is recommended.
    • In the event of a front desk being at the premises of an event / meeting, the duration of stay at the reception should be kept to a minimum. Advance online registration and maximum limitation of operational activities by the reception staff of the event / meeting is recommended.
    • Use the min. 2-meter distance between participants awaiting registration via e.g. event / meeting staff announcements or special markings on the floor.
    • Disinfecting the surface of the front desk at the service point at least every hour.
    • All reception services to participants of the event / meeting should be carried out in a contactless manner.
  11. Organizing the cloakroom / luggage storage point should take place as follows:
    • The maximum possible increase in the number of staff operating the cloakroom or providing the possibility of the event / meeting participants' hanging clothes by themselves.
    • Waiting in the queue for the cloakroom should follow the min. 2-meter distance between participants of the meeting / event.
    • Cloakroom staff should be equipped with personal protective equipment, including masks or visors, gloves and hand sanitizers (indicate measures in accordance with applicable regulations), as well as waterproof long-sleeved aprons for use when needed.
    • As far as possible, coats should be hung on every second hanger, and the numbers assigned to coats should be for single use.
  12. Providing meals and drinks to event / meeting participants in accordance with the following recommendations:
    • Serving meals and drinks directly by the staff (resignation from buffets).
    • Meeting / event participants may eat meals at the meeting area only while maintaining an appropriate distance (min. 2-meter distance between seats / tables / cocktail tables).
    • In the case of a shift system when dispensing meals and drinks, the staff should, after prior use by a given person / persons of a chair / table / table, immediately disinfect the given piece of furniture using appropriate cleaning agents.
    • When organizing on-site catering, comply with the hygiene and epidemiological requirements contained in the gastronomy guidelines.
  13. Ensuring the functioning of public toilets for participants / employees of the meeting / event in accordance with the following recommendations
    • Providing liquid soap, hand sanitizer and disposable paper towels.
    • Placing instructions for washing hands, putting on and removing gloves, putting on and removing a mask, and instructions for proper hand disinfection.
    • No use of hand dryers.
    • Placing and applying markings on the floor that remind you of the 2-meter rule between people waiting for access to public toilets.
    • Increased frequency of cleaning and disinfecting public toilets.
    • Providing contactless access to public toilets (e.g. permanent opening and locking doors) within the existing possibility.
    • Access control for people who want to use public toilets (the maximum number of people who can be in a public toilet room at the same time is equal to the number of available stalls / urinals).
    • A significant increase the number of toilets and sinks in the event of events / meetings being held in the open (open air events).
  14. Disinfecting equipment elements made available to participants of the event / meeting (e.g. chairs, tables, flipcharts, etc.) after each event / meeting.
  15. Storing garbage and waste in closed containers, regularly cleaned and disinfected. Application of the Guidelines of the Ministry of Climate and the Chief Sanitary Inspector (link below).
  16. Designating and preparing  a room (including  personal protective equipment and disinfectant fluid) in which it will be possible to temporarily isolate a person in the event of disease symptoms.
  17. Preparing the necessary telephone numbers for the poviat sanitary and epidemiological station and medical services and placing them in an easily accessible place.

Ensuring the safety of participants / employees / events / meetings suppliers

1.Designation by the event organizer / meeting of a dedicated COVID-19 prevention employee whose task is to prepare and implement all necessary procedures regarding COVID-19 at a given event / meeting.

2.The organizer shall provide the necessary personal and contact details for all participants of the event / meeting, with their consent, in the event of an employee found to be infected with coronavirus.

3.The preparation of new or supplementing the existing regulations of a given event / meeting with procedures related to counteracting COVID - 19, particularly taking the GDPR clause regarding the transfer of the most important data of event / meeting participants to the organizer into account, is necessary.

4.The participants of the event / meeting should be informed both before the event / meeting (e.g. by digital means) and at the very beginning of the event / meeting on the procedures used to prevent coronavirus infection.

5.The event / meeting participant should be instructed in advance that in the event of disturbing symptoms experienced on the day of the meeting they should not come to the event / meeting, should stay at home, follow the recommendations of the Chief Sanitary Inspector / Ministry of Health and immediately contact a doctor or poviat sanitary-epidemiological station, infectious diseases department, and call 999 or 112 in case one’s health deteriorates and inform about their symptoms.

6.The participation of persons over 70 years of age with chronic diseases in the events / meetings is recommended.

7.Measuring the temperature of participants / service staff / event / meeting suppliers with their consent by the staff (a designated person) using a non-contact thermometer or thermal imaging cameras is recommended.

8.Mandatory use of personal protective equipment - masks / visors and disposable gloves by participants / service staff / event suppliers / meeting (both during the event / meeting and at the stage of its preparation, assembly / disassembly).

9.Mandatory hand disinfection by participants / service staff / suppliers of the event / meetings before entering the event / meeting area.

10.Mandatory training of service staff / suppliers in the field of the COVID counteracting procedures used - 19 used in the organization of a given event / meeting, especially including non-contact provision of service to the event / meeting participants.

11.The organizer of the event / meeting at the place of the meeting / event should have the appropriate amount of personal protective equipment in the absence of possession by the participants / service staff / suppliers of the event / meeting.

12.The number of service staff / meeting events should be kept to the minimum.

13.Increase physical distances between employees and keep work safety in accordance with applicable law (a minimum distance of 1.5 meters is recommended).

14.Restrict the use of the shared spaces of events / meetings by employees, including:

  • Introducing different break times.
  • Reducing the number of employees using common areas at a given time (e.g. by spreading breaks between meals).

15.The following recommendations should be followed for event / meeting participants / attendants:

  • Washing your hands with soap and water before starting an event / meeting is mandatory.
  • Wear a nose and mouth shield, possibly a visor and protective gloves when performing duties.
  • Keep a safe distance from others (2 meters recommended).
  • Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water according to the instructions at the sink and disinfect dry hands with an alcohol-based agent (min. 60%).
  • When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow or handkerchief - throw the handkerchief into a closed basket as soon as possible and wash your hands.
  • Try not to touch the face, especially the lips, nose and eyes.
  • Make every effort (event / meeting staff) to keep workplaces clean and hygienic, especially after the end of the workday. Remember to disinfect such touch surfaces as the telephone handset, keyboard and mouse, light switches and desks.

16.Developing a procedure to be followed in the event of a suspected infection situation and effective instructing employees.

17.In the case of an event / meeting for a minimum of 50 participants, ensuring the presence of an emergency medical team trained in COVID-19 and with full personal protective equipment at the event / meeting.

18.Activating the organizer's emergency telephone number, available during the event / meeting, labelling information about this number and the rules of use in visible places.

19.In order to limit person to person contacts, the use of telephones, e-mail etc. for communication, where possible, is recommended

20.It is also recommended that the organizer of the event / meeting cooperate only with suppliers / facilities having their own appropriate security protocols regarding COVID - 19.

Preventive procedures: suspected coronavirus infection of an employee / service staff of an event / meeting

  1. Obligation to familiarize event / meeting participants / staff with the introduced protocol related to COVID-19 (providing the key guidelines and obligations in this respect).
  2. Participants / service staff of an event / meeting should be instructed that if they experience disturbing symptoms they should not come to the meeting area, should stay at home and call the doctor to obtain an over the phone medical consultation, and in case of health deterioration they should call 999 or 112 and inform you that they may be infected with coronavirus.
  3. Please keep track of the information of the Chief Sanitary Inspector and the Minister of Health, available at gis.gov.pl or https://www.gov.pl/web/koronawirus/, as well as applicable law.
  4. If an employee performing their tasks at the meeting area or a participant staying at the meeting area experiences disturbing symptoms suggesting a coronavirus infection, they should immediately be separated from the rest of the persons and directed to a medical point / designated room.
  5. The service employee / participant of the event / meeting should wait for sanitary transport in a designated room / medical point where it is possible to temporarily isolate them from other people.
  6. 6. Determining the area in which the service employee / participant of the event / meeting was staying, conduct routine cleaning in accordance with sanitary procedures and disinfect touch surfaces (door handles, handrails, handles, etc.) is recommended.
  7. Following the guidelines of the state poviat sanitary inspector when determining whether additional procedures should be implemented considering the case is recommended.

Procedures to be followed in the event of a suspected coronavirus infection of a person / participant of the event / meeting 

  1. In the event of clear signs of an illness, such as persistent cough, malaise, breathing difficulties, the event / meeting attendants / staff should not attend the event / meeting. They should be instructed to report to the nearest infectious diseases ward as soon as possible in order to consult a doctor, getting their by their own means of transport or by notifying 999 or 112.
  2. If the participant is staying in the hotel / facility / guest house in which the event / meeting is taking place - temporarily isolate them in a dedicated room, notify a medical dispatcher of the suspected infection and report the incident to the management of the facility where the event / meeting is being held, which will allow staff to determine the area in which the person was moving and staying, carrying out routine cleaning in accordance with the facility procedures and disinfecting touch surfaces (door handles, handrails, handles, etc.).
  3. Establish a list of people (if possible) present at the same time and place in the meeting area where the participant / staff stayed, and recommend following the guidelines of the Chief Sanitary Inspector available at: https://www.gov.pl/web/koronawirus/, and gis.gov.pl referring to persons who have had contact with the infected person.
  4. Inform the local poviat sanitary and epidemiological station and strictly follow the instructions and orders given.

Fair

Ensuring the safety of employees / persons providing services at the fair

  1. An employee who may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection outside the place of service should immediately notify the employer of this by telephone and inform the epidemiological station, and should refrain from participating in the fair until the examination and decision.
  2. Introducing daily procedures for conducting and documenting epidemiological intelligence, in particular the absence of symptoms of an employee / person providing services and the lack of contact with a person who had visible symptoms or was exposed to contact with an infected person.
  3. Internal meetings and conferences, if necessary, should be conducted with windows or doors open and a distance of at least 2 meters between people.
  4. Providing personal protective equipment for employees / persons providing services (masks, disposable gloves) and preparations for disinfecting hands.

Ensuring safety at the fair

FAIR AREAS

  1. Change in the organization of exhibition spaces by extending the passageways between exhibition stands to a minimum width of 3 meters.
  2. In order to limit the number of people waiting for entry or staying at the fair, introduce online sales of admission tickets by day.
  3. Introduction of solutions allowing for cases to be handled in online mode (registration systems for exhibitors, media, visitors).
  4. The obligation to cover the mouth and nose (with a mask, visor or other material) and to wear gloves by every person in the exhibition space, if required by the applicable law.
  5. Ensuring the possibility of purchasing masks in at least one point in the exhibition facility.
  6. Installing the appropriate number of containers with disinfectant at all entrances, in toilets and other publicly accessible spaces.
  7. Giving up the distribution of leaflets and such activities on the premises of the exhibition facilities that could promote the formation of clusters of people.

PEOPLE AND VEHICLE ENTRY ZONES

  1. Introducing sales of admission tickets to fair events only in online form.
  2. Introducing the registration of all fair participants in order to obtain data of persons staying at the fair. The registration form will contain a mandatory epidemiological declaration - not being quarantined or isolated.
  3. Admitting only authorized persons who have admission documents to the fair, i.e. registered exhibitors, registered visitors, service employees and service staff.
  4. Determining separate communication routes for event participants - one for guests entering the fairgrounds, the other for outgoing visitors, in order to minimize close contact between them.
  5. Providing a safe space for guests awaiting entry to the fairgrounds, separation of queue areas for entry through lines and stickers indicating directions, so that the distance between people is the minimum of 2 m.
  6. Introducing non-contact form of verification of entry documents in person and vehicle entry areas.
  7. Using a people counting system, which will allow to verify the number of people staying at the fair and will block entry if the number of people allowed is exceeded.
  8. Verifying in the entrance areas whether the people entering have a face mask and gloves on if this is still be required by applicable law.
  9. Performing non-contact measurement of body temperature in the entry area, if recommended by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate.
  10. Preparation of closed, isolated and properly disinfected rooms for people with symptoms of infection. Ensuring adequate protection for medical workers working in this room.

CUSTOMER SERVICE POINTS (front desks, trade fair offices)

  1. Limiting the number of service points to the minimum necessary and enabling, as much as possible, online service.
  2. Equipping service points with Plexiglas covers, if it is not possible to maintain a safe distance of 2 m.
  3. Allowing employees to work after body temperature control, done with their consent, and equipped with face masks / helmets and gloves, if this is still required by the applicable law or the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate’s recommendations.
  4. Preparation of safe queue zones for service points, in which the waiting people will be separated from each other by a minimum of 2 meters. Designation of places (using tapes, posts or stickers on the floor) to stop people waiting for service at 2 meters from the servicing person.
  5. Disinfecting the surface of the front desk at the service point at least every hour.
  6. The use of non-cash settlements, securing payment terminals with foil and their disinfection at least every hour.

EXHIBITION STANDS AND GUEST ZONES

  1. Adjusting the number of available seating places at the fairgrounds by introducing special solutions to maintain a distance of at least 2 meters in accordance with current safety rules.
  2. During the assembly and disassembly of stands, observe the safety rules applicable to construction companies builders and suppliers in accordance with current the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate regulations and recommendations.
  3. Obligation of Exhibitors to provide appropriate personal protection equipment for staff and disinfectants at stands.
  4. Issuing recommendations to exhibitors so that, if possible, materials for trade fair visitors are only available in an online version (e.g. on screens, in files transferred online).

GASTRONOMIC AREAS

  1. Preparation of the functioning of gastronomic areas (including restaurants) in accordance with the currently applicable safety rules in these type of facilities.
  2. Providing a safe space for guests awaiting entry to gastronomic spaces (including restaurants) with safe distances of a minimum of 2 meters.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES

  1. The cleaning service will receive a detailed  cleaning schedule.
  2. Ensuring the right amount of hand hygiene equipment, alcohol-based products in places where guests are present, e.g. in reception areas, toilets, in front of catering areas, etc.
  3. Training the personnel handling the fair event in the scope of the sanitary regime and safety during the participants' stay at the fairgrounds.
  4. Regular, at least every 2 hours, cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched infrastructure elements: door handles, handrails, balustrades, worktops using disinfectants.
  5. Storage of garbage and waste in closed containers, regularly cleaned and disinfected.
  6. Regular ventilation of rooms and spaces in which participants are present.
  7. Equipping all toilets with liquid soap and disposable paper towels, as well as a disinfectant liquid. Regular check of the status of the product range in toilets and the condition of toilets and the introduction of control sheets, with the frequency of service every hour.
  8. Ensuring the presence of a medical team available at the fairgrounds during the event.

COMMUNICATION WITH GUESTS

  1. Implementing intensified information campaigns regarding safety rules applicable to event participants at the fairgrounds.
  2. Introducing changes to the regulations for participation in the fair, including provisions on safety principles.
  3. Communicating (via a sound system or audiovisual systems) the restrictions on the number of people who can be at the fairgrounds at the same time, maintaining distance between successive people, the obligation to avoid crowds of people and to observe hygiene rules.
  4. Placing educational materials in visible places (in the form of posters, charts on screens or instructional films) on hand hygiene and behavior when sneezing or coughing (toilets, customer service points, entrance areas) and maintaining a proper distance from other people and avoiding physical contact and shaking hands.
  5. Activating an emergency telephone number available during trade fairs, marking information about this number and the terms of use in visible places.

Preventive procedures: suspected coronavirus infection of employees / service providers

  1. Employees / persons providing services should be instructed that in the event of disturbing symptoms they should not come to work, should stay at home and contact the telephone sanitary-epidemiological station, infectious diseases department, and in the case of the deterioration in their health call 999 or 112 and let them know that they may be infected with coronavirus.
  2. Keeping track of the information of the Chief Sanitary Inspector and the Minister of Health, available at: gis.gov.pl or www.gov.pl/web/koronawirus/, as well as applicable law is recommended.
  3. In the event of worrying symptoms suggesting coronavirus infection in an employee performing their tasks in the workplace, they should be immediately removed from work and sent home by personal transport. The local poviat sanitary and epidemiological station should be notified, and the instructions and orders given should be strictly followed.
  4. The employee should wait for transport in a designated room in which it is possible to temporarily isolate them from other people.
  5. Determining the area in which the employee has moved around and stayed, carrying out routine cleaning in accordance with factory procedures, and disinfect the touch surfaces (door handles, handrails, handles, etc.) is recommended.
  6. Following the guidelines of the State Poviat Sanitary Inspector when determining whether additional procedures should be implemented, considering the case, is recommended.

Procedures in the event of a coronavirus infection suspected in the person / client

  1. Establishing a list of employees and clients present at the same time in a given facility and recommending compliance with the guidelines of the Chief Sanitary Inspector available at: gov.pl/web/koronawirus/ and gis.gov.pl referring to persons who had contact with the infected person.
  2. Thorough disinfection of the space in which the infected client stayed (with an indication that we are not sure if the person was already infected when the service was provided) and disinfection of tools that were used during the service.      https://www.gov.pl/web/rozwoj/wytyczne-dla-branz                                                        https://www.gov.pl/web/coronavirus/general-information

 

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Author: GOV.PL/KCB
News author: Małgorzata Rajwa
News Publisher: Biuro Kongresów EN
Published: 2020-06-21
Last update: 2020-07-17
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