Thomas Carroll has available on the new website, free advices and checklists on ‘The New Normal’ with a variety of materials to help understand and best action a return to trading following the lockdown easing.
To assist, the Government has published a range of guidance to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance identifies 5 key principles:
• Employees should work from home, if possible.
• Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment and publish the results on their website.
• Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible.
• Where people cannot maintain 2 metres social distancing, manage the risk of transmission.
• Clean the workplace more frequently
Each individual business will need to consider how they will return to work safely and develop a structured Return to Work strategy which should focus on 4 key areas – Plan – Do – Check – Act.
• PLAN – Identify what you need to do such as Responsibilities of the management team/ who can return to work/ Washing facilities/ hygiene stations/ signage/ 2 metre distancing tape/ directional flow signs/ rearranging layouts and seating/ redesign and staggering shift patterns/ barriers/ PPE/ entrance and exits/ welfare provision/ deep cleaning protocols/ travel arrangements to work/ ensuring statutory testing and inspections are up to date/ first aid and emergency arrangements etc.
• DO – Communicate the Plan to all employees and explain what’s expected from them/ Implement your plan.
• CHECK – Check that the Plan is working and manging the risk of COVID-19 effectively/ encourage feedback and involvement from employees and/ or their representatives/ Identify and investigate any cases.
• ACT – Review, learn from experience and continuously improve/ update your COVID-19 risk assessment and Business Continuity Plans/ Keep a record of all the reviews undertaken.
Whilst the Plan-Do-Check-Act model will help organise your return to work, the information provided above is far from exhaustive. If any further help is required, please visit our website which contains a range of COVID-19 Guidance including Return to Work Assessment templates.