Reducing The Risk of Covid-19 in Your Workplace
As we have now entered Step 4 of the Coronavirus roadmap and restrictions have lifted, the government has published their recommendations for keeping yourself and your employees safe in the workplace.
What is Step 4?
As of the 19th July, legal restrictions have been lifted, allowing all businesses to open. The government is also no longer telling people to work from home.
To support employers and their employees through this transition, the government is continuing to provide advice on the safety precautions employers should take to manage the risk to their staff and customers.
What has changed?
Social distancing guidance no longer applies, meaning people within your business or place of work no longer need to keep away from those they do not live with.
As we previously mentioned, the government is no longer instructing people to work from home whenever possible. However, they do recommend a gradual return to the workplace over the summer to ensure your team is kept as safe as possible.
You must continue to follow statutory health and safety requirements, conduct risk assessments, and take reasonable steps to manage any identified risks.
What do you need to do?
The government has published a six-step guide on ensuring your workplace or business is a safe environment.
- Health and safety risk assessments
You should conduct a risk assessment that includes the risk from COVID-19, considering reasonable adjustments needed for staff and customers with disabilities. You should share the findings with your staff.
You can find out how to conduct a risk assessment here.
2. Ventilation
Any indoor space where people will be present should have a supply of fresh air. This could be natural ventilation through open windows, doors, and vents, mechanical ventilation through ducts and fans, or a combination of both.
Any poorly ventilated spaces should be identified and steps taken to improve fresh air flow. A CO2 monitor may help identify if the space needs better ventilation.
Read the advice on ventilation and air conditioning.
3. Clean! Clean! Clean!
Make sure to keep any surfaces that are touched by a lot of people regularly cleaned. Encourage staff and customers to use hand sanitiser and wash their hands whenever possible.
4. Symptoms
If anyone in your workplace or business is displaying COVID-19 symptoms, they should self-isolate and not come to work or enter the premises.
Remember, symptoms include a persistent cough, a high temperature, and a loss of taste or smell.
They should also self-isolate if a close contact has tested positive for COVID-19.
5. Check in
While you’re no longer legally required to collect customer contact details, doing so will help to keep people safe and contact anyone who may have potentially been exposed.
Simply display an NHS QR code poster to give your customers the option of checking in.
6. Train
Make sure all of your workers, clients, and people you regularly come into contact with are up-to-date on your safety measures.
Are there specific measures for different industries?
You can find detailed information for each industry on the government website.
Keep in mind!
There is a new COVID-19 variant spreading in some parts of England. There may be additional advice for your area.
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