We are currently living in un precedented times as the whole country has faced a period of lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Right now, the government is trying to establish a route out of lockdown and to get people back to work. However, many workers who have been furloughed or people starting new employment will have serious concerns as to the measures a company is taking to control exposure to the virus.
As I wrote several weeks ago on my linked in profile, at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic. I have received many calls from employees concerned about the lack of social distancing procedures being put in place by employers in the work place. This has caused a huge amount of stress and anguish for them.
With many people returning to work, this fear is likely to continue to grow for many, who are concerned about being exposed to the corona virus. They are concerned about potential contact with people who may be carrying the virus, while at their daily work activity and the potential consequences it may have.
Health and Safety Regulations are quite clear, Employers have a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees while at work. Employers should conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of work activity to ensure the health and safety of their employees.
As working conditions have now changed dramatically, employers, cannot simply allow their workforce to return to work and not implement significant changes to the environments in which their work force operates.
A business has many areas where social interaction can take place, here are a few that may be familiar to you:
- Sharing office space and office desk space.
- Sharing printers and other computer hardware.
- Sharing telecommunications.
- Sharing welfare facilities, such as canteens, toilets, showers and washing facilities.
- Passing other employees or visitors in corridors and stairways.
- Greeting and hosting visitors.
- Parcel delivery into and out of your place of work.
- Raw material delivery to your place of work.
- Finished goods expedition from your place of work.
- Delivery to clients with your own transport.
- Working in teams in the workplace.
- Operating machinery over shift patterns.
- Stress caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic
These are a sample, there may indeed be more areas of risk in your particular business.
Becoming COVID-19 Secure.
If you have not reviewed your work activity yet in light of the pandemic, then you need to conduct a full COVID -19 Risk Assessment. The risk assessment needs to be suitable and sufficient and take into account all the work activities in your business that may result in exposure.
- You will need to identify the potential areas of risk.
- Involve your workforce in your analysis of these areas, they may think of an area you haven’t.
- You will need to identify who will be harmed and how
- You will need to identify what control actions you have in place currently.
- Determine what further action will be required.
- Who will be responsible for implementing the actions
- Place a time scale on carrying out these actions.
- Communicate your risk assessment to your work force
- Review your risk assessment when there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates
There are several resources available online to help you:
HSE Guidance on Risk Assessment for COVID-19
Government Guidance on COVID-19
If you need further help and guidance then please get in touch with us and we can help you conduct and prepare your COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT.
Telephone 07480 645657
Or email us via our contact form https://bit.ly/2Jjtaam
ACT NOW before it is too late.