COVID-19: E-Commerce open: Regulations published

… navigating through the COVID-19 LOCKDOWN scandal …

E-COMMERCE OPEN

Dear employer

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has published regulations relating to the selling and distribution of products via e-commerce platforms.

The regulations, in essence, determine as follows:

• all products, with the exception of alcohol and tabacco products, may be sold via e-commerce and delivered via courier services;
• all OHS regulations, as determined by the Department of Employment and Health, must be adhered to;
• retailers must give prominence to products manufactured in South Africa;
• when packaging goods, retailers must provide written guidelines for customers on how to safely disinfect their goods before use;
• retailers must put in place collection protocols to ensure that adequate social distancing is maintained by courier- or delivery service personnel when collecting goods from a warehouse or depot;
• all goods must be sanitised, in line with the guidelines published by the National Department of Health, before leaving the warehouse or depot;
• all courier- and delivery personnel must have their own hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes, which must be replenished daily;
• courier- and delivery personnel must wear a cloth face mask that covers the nose and mouth when delivering goods to customers;
• courier- and delivery personnel must maintain at least one and a half metres distance from other courier or delivery personnel, when collecting goods for delivery, and customers when delivering goods;
• courier- and delivery service personnel may not enter the home of a customer if such customer, and any other residents within the immediate vicinity, are not wearing a cloth face mask or a homemade item that covers the nose and mouth;
• employees may not share face masks, equipment, stationery, utensils or similar items;
• designated and adequately trained health and safety officers must take each employee’s temperature using appropriate equipment or instruments at the start of a shift and every four hours after the shift commences; and
• records of the temperatures of each employee must be kept and any employee whose temperature is 37,5 degrees or above should immediately be moved to an isolated observation room for a second measurement. If the second test measurement also exceeds 37,5 degrees, the employee must be returned home for self-quarantine, provided with a surgical mask and not be permitted to enter or stay on the premises.

Please CLICK HERE to view the regulations.

NEASA 24/7 NATIONAL HOTLINE: 086 016 3272
legalhotline@neasa.co.za

For more information:
NEASA Media Department
marietha@neasa.co.za

We are all in this together.
Privileged and challenged to be South African.