New Workplace Guidelines

At SIB we have recently completed our workplace Risk Assessment via LIghthouse Health & Safety Consultants. Like most employers we wanted to ensure our employees will be returning to work in a safe environment and for us we felt it essential to have that carried out by an independent specialist provider.

Some of our clients will already be aware of Lighthouse and their services but we thought we might share this Hot Potato with all our clients.

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on workplace Health & Safety Law in the UK. Section 2 and 3 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 place a duty of care on employers to both employees and non-employees. All Employers will need to be able to prove under scrutiny that they fulfil these duties in relation to controlling exposure to or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the workplace.

Five Key Points

The five key points compiled by the government providing guidance for returns to work are as follows:

  1. Employees should work from home if they can. If they cannot work from home and the workplace is open, employees should go to work.
  2. An employer will need to carry out COVID-19 risk assessment for their working environments. If possible, employers should publish the results of their risk assessments on their website and all businesses with over 50 employees are expected to do so.
  3. Employers should re-design work spaces to maintain 2 metre distances between people by staggering start times, creating one-way walk-throughs, opening more entrances and exits, or changing seating layouts in break rooms
  4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, transmission risk must be managed. Employers should look into putting barriers in shared spaces, creating workplace shift patterns or fixed teams minimising the number of people in contact with one another, or ensuring colleagues are facing away from each other.
  5. Workplaces should be cleaned more frequently, paying close attention to high-contact objects like door handles and keyboards. Employers should provide hand washing facilities or hand sanitisers at entry and exit points.

Lighthouse are based in Guiseley, Leeds – 08454 591724. If you want to know more about why your company may need to take a Covid -19 Risk Assessment then please click here to visit the Lighthouse website. 

Attached is a handy risk assessment document created by Lighthouse that you can utilise to complete your own Risk Assessments to ensure your business is fully compliant and up to date with the latest Government Guidelines or you may prefer to have an Independent Report carried out.

We can also assist you with your Insurance requirements if you have any queries regarding your cover so please do not hesitate to contact us.