For example, non-contact deliveries where the nature of the product allows for use of electronic pre-booking. Find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure. You need to think about how people travel through work environments. In an emergency, for example, an accident, provision of first aid, fire or break-in, people do not have to comply with social distancing guidelines if it would be unsafe. Staff canteens and restaurants that are open to staff only will usually need to take the steps below. These other measures remain the best ways of managing risk in the workplace and government would therefore not expect to see employers relying on face coverings as risk management for the purpose of their health and safety assessments. Engaging with worker and worker representatives through existing communication routes and worker representatives to explain and agree any changes in working arrangements. If you have fewer than 5 workers, or are self-employed, you don’t have to write anything down as part of your risk assessment, but you may decide it would be helpful to. Avoid sharing vehicles except within a family, for example on test drives. We expect that this document will be updated over time. Currently, you can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home. Non-essential retail is required to close, such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment) and market stalls selling non-essential goods. Public toilets, portable toilets and toilets inside premises should be kept open and carefully managed to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. For advice to businesses in other parts of the UK please see guidance set by the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Support for businesses and self-employed people during coronavirus, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Find out how the lockdown affects shops and branches, Find out more about the National Lockdown and what you can and cannot do, Check when to wear one, exemptions, and how to make your own, Read advice on air conditioning and ventilation from the Health and Safety Executive (, Maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace, guidance on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (, guidance on keeping workers and clients safe during, 1.2 Sharing the results of your risk assessment, Read information on social contact rules, social distancing and the exemptions that exist, 2.1 Supporting NHS Test and Trace (betting shops only), 2.3 Providing and explaining available guidance, Check what data you need to collect and how it should be managed, Official NHS QR posters can be generated online, Find out more about how NHS Test and Trace works, guidance on keeping workers and customers safe during, Read advice on air conditioning and ventilation from, 3.1 Protecting people who are at higher risk, See current guidance for advice on who is in the clinically extremely vulnerable and clinically vulnerable groups, guidance for people who have symptoms and those who live with others who have symptoms, guidance for those who have been in contact with, but do not live with, a person who has tested positive for, 4.6 Accidents, security and other incidents, government guidance on travelling to and from work, government guidance on managing security risks, 5.3 Hygiene: handwashing, sanitation facilities and toilets, 5.5 Handling goods, merchandise and other materials, Find further detail on when and where to wear face coverings, Find further detail on face coverings including when to wear one and how to make your own, guidance for restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services, Read further information about these requirements, business representative organisation or trade association, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Check how the new Brexit rules affect you, Transparency and freedom of information releases, betting shops and high street gambling arcades, gift shops and retail spaces in theatres, museums, libraries, heritage sites and tourism sites, further lowering capacity even if it is possible to safely seat a number of people inside a venue, it may not be safe for them all to travel or enter that venue, staggering entry times with other venues and taking steps to avoid queues building up in surrounding areas, arranging one way travel routes between transport hubs and venues, advising patrons to avoid particular forms of transport or routes and to avoid crowded areas when in transit to the venue, are from some Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, further increasing the frequency of hand washing and surface cleaning, keeping the activity time involved as short as possible, using screens or barriers to separate people from each other, using back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than face-to-face) whenever possible, reducing the number of people each person has contact with by using ‘fixed teams or partnering’ (so each person works with only a few others), an assessment for all sites, or parts of sites, that have been closed, before restarting work, cleaning procedures and providing hand sanitiser, before restarting work, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before putting a face covering on, and before and after removing it, when wearing a face covering, avoid touching your face or face covering, as you could contaminate them with germs from your hands, change your face covering if it becomes damp or if you’ve touched it, if the material is washable, wash in line with manufacturer’s instructions; if it’s not washable, dispose of it carefully in your usual waste, practise social distancing wherever possible. Setting up ‘no contact’ return procedures where customers take return goods to a designated area. Where not possible, you can use public transport or drive. 2.1 Protecting people who are at higher … Some people don’t have to wear a face covering including for health, age or equality reasons. Guidance for people who work in or run indoor labs and research facilities and similar environments. Support for businesses and self-employed people during coronavirus, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies, Find out more about the national lockdown and what you can and cannot do, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Check how the new Brexit rules affect you, Transparency and freedom of information releases. If the local PHE health protection team declares an outbreak, you will be asked to record details of symptomatic staff and assist with identifying contacts. Contact your local PHE health protection team if you’ve taken the action outlined in published Action Cards resource but need further guidance. We would expect all businesses to demonstrate to their workers and customers that they have properly assessed their risk and taken appropriate measures to mitigate this. Encouraging customers to shop alone where possible, unless they need specific assistance. Providing support for workers around mental health and wellbeing. Making sure that people with disabilities are able to access lifts. By law businesses must remind people to wear face coverings where they are required, for instance using signage. Find out more about the National Lockdown and what you can and cannot do. Providing additional parking or facilities such as bike-racks to help people walk, run or cycle to work where possible. Holding meetings outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms whenever possible. Tiny airborne particles can travel further than droplets and in poorly ventilated spaces this can lead to viral particles spreading between people. If this … This is an important reminder to help mitigate transmission. It is breaking the law to discriminate, directly or indirectly, against anyone because of a protected characteristic such as age, sex or disability, race or ethnicity. These could include: Local authorities should avoid issuing licenses for events that could lead to larger gatherings forming and provide advice to businesses on how to manage events of this type. Now the UK has passed the peak of the pandemic, the government’s latest guidance for business and workers sets out a path for how the economy can reopen safely. To help you decide which actions to take, you must carry out an appropriate COVID-19 risk assessment, just as you would for other health and safety related hazards. Restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services. You can check for updates at www.gov.uk/workingsafely. Cleaning shared vehicles between shifts or on handover. We use cookies to collect information about how you use GOV.UK. This requirement applies to workers in shops or supermarkets, indoor shopping centres, banks, building societies, post office workers, premises providing professional, legal or financial services, estate agents and auction houses. Objective: To maintain social distancing and avoid surface transmission when goods enter and leave the site, especially in high volume situations, for example, distribution centres or despatch areas. See current guidance for employees and employers relating to statutory sick pay due to COVID-19. Employers should consider whether clinically extremely vulnerable individuals can take an alternative role, or change their working patterns temporarily to enable them to work from home. Using visual communications, for example whiteboards or signage, to explain changes to rotas or stock shortages without the need for face to face communications. You must share the results of your risk assessment with your employees. Together we can change your story. Limiting customer handling of merchandise and testers, for example, through different display methods, new signage or rotation, or cleaning of high touch stock with your usual cleaning products. Encouraging drivers to stay in their vehicles where this does not compromise their safety and existing safe working practice, such as preventing drive-aways. This guidance does not supersede any legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment or equalities and it is important that as a business or an employer you continue to comply with your existing obligations, including those relating to individuals with protected characteristics. As far as possible, food served and/or displayed should be individually wrapped to minimise contact and avoid spread of infection. Providing equipment for people to work from home safely and effectively, for example, remote access to work systems. Objective: To reduce risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level by taking preventative measures, in order of priority. Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are advised not to attend work during the national lockdown. Individual businesses should consider the cumulative impact of many businesses reopening in a small area. As an employer, you cannot decide who the representative will be. You’ve accepted all cookies. For example, having dedicated staff to encourage social distancing or to manage security. Guidance for people who work in or run offices, contact centres and similar indoor environments. guidance around working safely during COVID-19 should ensure that volunteers are afforded the same level of protection to their health and safety as others, such as ... [email protected]gov.uk. By law, staff and customers of retail settings are required to wear a face covering, unless they have an exemption. Maintaining use of security access devices, such as keypads or passes, and adjusting processes at entry/exit points to reduce risk of transmission . You should ensure that steps are taken to avoid people needing to unduly raise their voices to each other. The UK is currently experiencing a public health emergency as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If your building has been unoccupied for a period during any lockdowns, consider legionella risk and HSE advice. As we deal with the consequences of the pandemic you may find you need to take on a new role or work differently, providing care and support by phone or through technology rather than face to … Updated the guidance on protecting people who are at higher risk. Consider the particular needs of those with protected characteristics, such as those who are hearing or visually impaired. See current guidance for advice on who is in the clinically extremely vulnerable and clinically vulnerable groups. To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. In applying this guidance, employers should be mindful of the particular needs of different groups of workers or individuals. Workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 should self-isolate for at least 10 days starting from the day the test was taken. Making sure that the steps you take do not have an unjustifiable negative impact on some groups compared to others, for example, those with caring responsibilities or those with religious commitments. Guidance for people who work in or from vehicles, including couriers, mobile workers, lorry drivers, on-site transit and work vehicles, field forces and similar. This document is one of a set of documents about how to work safely in different types of workplace. Consider the mental health and wellbeing aspects of COVID-19 for yourself and others. Plates, cutlery and glasses should be handwashed in hot soapy water or washed with detergent in a dishwasher rated for disinfection. To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Applies to: England (see guidance for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland). You should refer to guidance for information on how to dispose of personal or business waste, including face coverings and PPE. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. Encouraging workers to remain on-site and, when not possible, maintaining social distancing while off-site. Those running events following COVID-19 secure guidelines should take additional steps to ensure the safety of the public and prevent large gatherings or mass events from taking place. This includes completing a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks of COVID-19 in the workplace and identifying control measures to manage that risk. They must maintain records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace. People are also encouraged to wear a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where there are people you do not normally meet. Workstations should be assigned to an individual as much as possible. We expect that this document will be updated over time. Thinking about risk. Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are advised not to attend work during the national lockdown (section 3.1). It is recognised that for people who work in these types of workplace, it is often not possible to work from home. Minimising contacts around transactions, for example, considering using contactless payments. If necessary, police can issue fines to members of the public for non-compliance. Putting in place picking-up and dropping-off collection points where possible, rather than passing goods hand-to-hand. Reducing maximum occupancy for lifts, providing hand sanitiser for the operation of lifts and encouraging use of stairs wherever possible. Where possible and safe, having single workers load or unload vehicles. There are interactive tools available to support you from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Social distancing applies to all parts of a business, not just the place where people spend most of their time, but also entrances and exits, break rooms, canteens and similar settings. Providing guidance to how workers can safely assist customers with handling large item purchases. Keeping in touch with off-site workers on their working arrangements including their welfare, mental and physical health and personal security. If businesses have taken steps to create a physical barrier or screen between workers and members of the public then staff behind the barrier or screen will not be required to wear a face covering. For example, maintenance activities that cannot be redesigned. Some people don’t have to wear a face covering including for health, age or equality reasons. Ensuring any workers who have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace follows the requirement to self-isolate. Guidance for people who work in or run hotels and other guest accommodation. 1.1 Thinking about managing risk. Walking or cycling where possible. This plan should nominate a single point of contact (SPOC) where possible who should lead on contacting local Public Health teams. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. Managing use of high traffic areas including corridors, lifts, turnstiles and walkways to maintain social distancing. This guide was updated on 6 January 2021. Introducing more one-way flow through buildings. COVID-19 is a hazard in the workplace and, as such, should be managed in the same way as other workplace hazards. Objective: To avoid unnecessary work travel and keep people safe when they do need to travel between locations. You are not responsible for enforcing customer face covering law; however, you should take reasonable steps to ensure customers are aware they are required to wear a face covering – such as by displaying a notice. Providing more waste facilities and more frequent rubbish collection. current government criteria for safe reopening. Accessing COVID-secure precautions Employers should ensure all workers, including those in higher-risk groups, are able to access all the protections that are necessary, eg during night … It is vital that you comply with these regulations to help keep people safe, and to keep businesses open. Awareness and focus on the importance of mental health at times of uncertainty. Find out how the lockdown affects shops and branches. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. Objective: To prioritise safety during incidents. Putting in place procedures to minimise person-to-person contact during deliveries to other sites. Vue … Objective: To reduce transmission due to face-to-face meetings and maintain social distancing in meetings. Installing screens to protect workers serving customers at till points. Guidance for people who work in or run shops, branches, stores or similar environments. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. Setting clear use and cleaning guidance for toilets to ensure they are kept clean and social distancing is achieved as much as possible. The government has published guidance on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19). Working with neighbouring businesses and local authorities to consider how to spread the number of people arriving throughout the day for example by staggering opening hours; this will help reduce demand on public transport at key times and avoid overcrowding. If you are cleaning after a known or suspected case of COVID-19 then refer to the specific guidance. Means working with local Authorities have a duty to reduce transmission due to COVID-19 information setting out clients. 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