Normal operation is recommended in the general infection control advice to all businesses and sectors. Basic infection control recommendations will limit transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

• See also Infection control advice for the population

Planning and risk assessment

There are still requirements for infection control in accordance with regulations for environmental health, which apply to all businesses, and which indicate that the activity must be planned, operated and closed down so that infectious diseases can be prevented.

There may still be a need to facilitate working conditions so that risk groups have the necessary flexibility.

It may be relevant to contact the occupational health service and / or the municipal health service if you have questions about infection control.

Vaccination status is personal health information. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority has assessed that the collection of information about the employees' vaccination status must be justified according to the company's needs and the collection must be proportionate and assessed against the employee's need to safeguard personal integrity.

See: 

• Guidance for Continuity Planning (DSB) – in Norwegian 
• Measures in the workplace (Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority) – in Norwegian 

In cases of increased transmission and where health personnel and other personnel in critical jobs are home due to COVID-19 infections, it might be necessary to ask them to come to work in order to ensure necessary operations. Personnel who come into work should be asymptomatic, or only have light symptoms.

Employees who are exempt from isolating at home due to COVID-19 infection, should keep a distance to others wherever it is possible, and should use a face mask.

Infection control advice

Employees with new-onset respiratory tract symptoms and / or malaise are not recommended to attend work. This also applies to vaccinated people.

• Newly-arisen respiratory tract symptoms, COVID-19 testing and positive test results

The company should facilitate good hand hygiene for employees and visitors. Both hand washing and alcohol-based hand disinfection are good, effective methods for hand hygiene.

• See advice for Hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleaning and laundry

The company’s routines should ensure sufficiently good cleaning.

• See Cleaning for COVID-19 in sectors outside the healthcare service

Ventilation and airing

The risk of transmission is increased in rooms with poor ventilation, especially when many people are gathered. Good ventilation is therefore an important infection control measure. For people in moderate activity it is recommended a minimum air supply of 7 litres per second per person, and a maximal air speed of 0.2 meters per second. Carbon dioxide (CO2) from a persons breath could give a good indication of the ventilation levels, and should not exceed 1000 ppm. It is recommended a CO2 level of under 800 ppm for rooms where infection risks are increased, such as rooms with continous speaking (lectures), singing (choir practice), and high intensity training (gyms).

• See Inneklima og risiko for smitte av covid-19 - Råd om ventilasjon i offentlige bygg og næringsbygg (in Norwegian)

Working from home and flexible working hours

In some situations, home office / flexible working hours can help ensure continuity by limiting the risk of high sickness absence among employees.

Working from home should not be used in services where this prevents employees from performing necessary and statutory duties when meeting vulnerable groups, children and adolescents. It is particularly important to consider whether the service quality is equally good and available for everyone.

For some, working from home is difficult due to psychosocial / social conditions, domestic situation, etc. The employer should make it possible for people with a need to be fully or partially present at work to do so.

Risk groups

Home office or other facilitation of work can still be appropriate for individuals with an increased risk of a severe disease course of COVID-19. Such an assessment should be made individually. A medical certificate may be needed.

For up-to-date information on people who may be at higher risk for COVID-19:

• Risk groups and their relatives

Advice to sectors where employees live on site - construction companies, shipyards, ships, etc.

In places where many people live close together, it can be difficult to keep a physical distance. Workplaces where employees live in close proximity to each other over time, such as barracks or similar accommodation, can be particularly vulnerable to transmission. 

See: 

• Råd til steder hvor mange bor (asylmottak, hybelhus, brakker, fengsel, båter etc.) (in Norwegian)

Local advice and rules

If the local infection situation so requires, local authorities may recommend or legislate local infection control measures.