Member Article

The Government issued new regulations setting the guidelines and adopting the biosecurity protocol for the operation of the manufacturing industry

The Ministry of Work issued Resolution 675 adopting the biosecurity protocol for the management and control of COVID-19 risk in the manufacturing industry.

This protocol is complementary to the protocol adopted through Resolution 666 of 2020 and to other measures adopted in each factory.

The biosecurity protocol is contained in the Resolution as technical annex and regulates the following aspects:

1. General biosecurity measures

1.1. Adequacy 1.2. Maintenance and disinfection1.3. Working tools and staffing elements1.4. Personal protection equipment1.5. Handling of supplies and products1.6. Human capital 1.6.1. Interaction within facilities1.6.2. Interaction with third parties

2. Manufacturing industries

3. Specific measures for:

3.1. Manufacturing of textile and wearing apparel3.2. Tanning and retanning of leather, footwear manufacturing, manufacturing of travel items, suitcases, handbags and similar items, and manufacturing of saddlery, and dressing and dyeing of fur3.3. Wood transformation and manufacturing of wood and cork products, except furniture, and manufacturing of basketry and plaiting3.4. Manufacturing of paper, cardboard, and paper and cardboard products3.5. Manufacturing of chemical substances and products3.6. Manufacturing of metal products, except machinery and equipment3.7. Manufacturing of devices and electrical equipment3.8. Specialized installation, maintenance and repair of machinery and equipment

On the other hand, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism issued Resolution 498 setting the guidelines for compliance with numeral 36 of Decree 593 of 2020.According to this Resolution, manufacturing subsector and their chain, which are allowed to circulate during the preventive mandatory isolation, are:

1. Manufacturing of textile
2. Manufacturing of wearing apparel
3. Tanning and retanning of leather; footwear manufacturing; manufacturing of travel items, suitcases, handbags and similar items; manufacturing of saddler; and dressing and dyeing of fur
4. Wood transformation and manufacturing of wood and cork products, except furniture, and manufacturing of basketry and plaiting
5. Manufacturing of paper, cardboard, and paper and cardboard products
6. Manufacturing of chemical substances and products
7. Manufacturing of metal products, except machinery and equipment
8. Manufacturing of devices and electrical equipment
   
   

In accordance with the features of each district or municipality, companies of these subsectors and their chains, shall:

1. Comply with the biosecurity protocols set by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection
2. Comply with the instructions that complementarily adopt or issue the territorial entities where each factory operates
   
   

The municipal or district secretariat or the entity that takes its place, which belongs to the economic activity of the manufacturing industry, will validate compliance with the biosecurity protocols and with the instructions adopted or issued by each territorial entity.

Companies of the manufacturing subsectors and their chains will not be able to operate until they have carried out the validation process before the corresponding district or municipal secretariat.

RESOLUTION 675 OF2020 and RESOLUTION 498 OF2020