As new national restrictions begin in November, government guidelines recommend that people should stay at home where possible and should only travel to work if they cannot work from home.
For those who cannot work from home, you are advised to still go to your regular place of work so long as your employer has made the workplace as safe as reasonably possible.
Employers have a duty of care to protecting their employees and customers during coronavirus, and the government has provided a step-by-step action plan on how to do this here.
For those who are based in factories, plants, warehouses and outdoor-based roles, current government guidelines is that you can still go into work providing you cannot work from home.
Each business needs to translate what specific actions need to be taken depending on the business area, including how a business is operated, managed and regulated.
Government guidance does not supersede any legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment or equalities, and it is important that employers continue to comply with existing obligations.
Workers should be reminded regularly to maintain social distancing, which factories, plants, warehouses and other outdoor-based roles can help encourage by a variety of means.
Employers should consider separating sites into work zones to keep different groups of employees physically separated as much as is practical. Site access points could also look to be introduced, such as ‘areas of safety’, and using signage like ground markings to help people comply with guidelines.
The government has recognised that in outdoor workplaces it might be rare to have a fixed place of work, providing further challenges to ensure a place of work is kept safe and secure.
If areas of work change regularly, employers should still introduce measure to ensure the safety of their workforce. This could be done by reviewing layouts and processes frequently, or by using a consistent pairing or ‘bubble’ of workers who have to be in close proximity for activities that require two-person working, for example, or maintenance activities that cannot be adapted.
To avoid surface transmission when goods enter and leave a site, particularly in high volume situations like distribution centres or warehouses, further steps will need to be introduced.
The government recommends revising pick-up and drop-off collection points, procedures, signage and markings. Additionally, workers should avoid unnecessary contact at security points, yard and warehouses.
Single, or paired or bubbled employees, should consistently load and unload vehicles where possible, and encourage drivers to stay in their vehicles where this does not compromise their safety and existing safe working practices.
The government has set out guidance for working safely during coronavirus online which can be accessed here.