As of March 31, 2020, Public Health clarified that the PHO's Mass Gathering order refers to events where more than 50 people are in close contact. It does not apply to a worksite unless a mass gathering is being held onsite.
Employers should consider the work area, configuration, work processes and flow, and movement of workers in determining whether they have exceeded 50 workers in a "gathering". Large workplaces, including warehouses, might have enough space to accommodate this.
Workplaces can implement measures to ensure that the appropriate number of people are in each area of a worksite:
- Reduce in-person meetings
- Post occupancy limits
- Manage numbers on elevators
- Limit the number of workers at one time on break locations
- Maintain an up-to-date list of employees at the workplace
Examples of acceptable physical distancing that does not constitute a gathering include:
- Workers dispersed across different floors or in different areas on a manufacturing plant separated by walls or other barriers (e.g. plexiglass divider).
- Workers in a single area who are able to maintain two metres of separation would not be considered part of a gathering.
- Safety meetings, general meetings, and toolbox talks held in smaller groups in larger areas