ADVICE & OPINION
COMPLIANCE
COVID-SECURE WORKPLACES
UK GOVERNMENT EIGHT WORKPLACE GUIDES
The UK Government’s eight COVID-secure guides
cover a range of di erent types of workplace and
are divided accordingly:
Construction and other outdoor work
Factories, plants and warehouses
Homes
Labs and research facilities
O ices and contact centres
Restaurants o ering takeaway and delivery
Shops and branches
Vehicles
Given this approach (rather than sector-specific
guidance), the UK Government has acknowledged
that individual businesses may operate more than
one type of workplace, such as an o ice and a factory.
As such, employers may need to use more than one
of the guides to develop their COVID-secure control
measures.
These guides are not regulations, nor are they
Approved Codes of Practice and are therefore not
directly enforceable, but they should be considered
to be the basis upon which any inspector will assess
preparations and measures.
SECTOR SPECIFIC GUIDANCE
In addition to the guidance published by the UK
Government there is also a large amount of sector
specific guidance and advice being developed.
Employers are also encouraged to refer to any relevant
trade bodies for further advice.
COVID-SECURE MEASURES
Employers will need to devise and implement COVIDsecure
control measures that are appropriate for their
individual workplace. However, the following are some
common issues which may need to be considered:
Maintain home-working protocols as far as
possible
Ensure that the building is safe for reoccupation
– see Barbour technical guide on “Preparing to
12 JUNE 2020
Reopen Work Premises a er COVID-19”
Implement physical social distancing measures
together with increased hygiene and support
these with plenty of signage
Clearly communicate measures to sta and other
interested parties
Provide further training if required
Develop emergency procedures for situations
where people may fall ill with COVID-19 in the
workplace
Ensure changed sta ing levels/patterns are
reviewed in light of considerations such as fire
wardens, first aiders and other emergency roles
Establish a policy with regards to contractor
attendance and management on site
Minimise travel – where travel is necessary avoid
public transport as far as possible
Establish a policy with regards to assurances from
sites prior to employee visits to other workplaces
Remember the down-stream impacts of such
changes (particular isolation/shielding) on sta –
enhanced mental wellbeing measures and review
of risk assessment considering stress factors may
be required
PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HIGHER RISK
In addition to the issues outlined above, employers
must give special consideration to the following
vulnerable groups:
Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals have
been strongly advised not to work outside the
home
In association with
Clinically vulnerable individuals, who are at higher
risk of severe illness (for example, people with
some pre-existing conditions), have been asked to
take extra care in observing social distancing and
should be helped to work from home, either in
their current role or in an alternative role
People who live with clinically extremely
vulnerable individuals.
If clinically vulnerable (but not extremely clinically
vulnerable) individuals cannot work from home,
employers need to think about the safest available
on-site roles, that enable them to stay two metres
away from others.
KEY ACTIONS
The workplace guides set out a number of general
requirements that employers are expected to
follow, including:
Conducting a specific risk assessment with
regards to the hazards associated with COVID-19
Reducing risks as far as reasonably practicable
Identifying and protect those at highest risk
Implementing social distancing measures (based
on a two metre separation)
Enabling more regular hand washing/ sanitisation
Minimising visitors to site
Enhanced cleaning regimes
Altering work/shi patterns to reduce
congregation and crowding
Avoiding the addition of COVID-19 specific PPE so
far as possible (although face coverings may be
appropriate in certain settings)
Communicating any new measures arising from
the risk assessment to the relevant people
Displaying a ‘COVID-Secure’ poster in the
workplace
A separate Barbour Technical Guide – “Preparing to
Reopen Work Premises a er COVID-19” – outlines
other health and safety issues that need to be
considered, before reoccupation, as a result of the
premises being empty for several weeks or months.
https://www.barbour-ehs.com
On 11 May 2020 the UK Government published ‘Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK
Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Strategy’ together with eight workplacespecifi
c guides. These documents provide an overview for employers as to
how they can safely get their employees back on site (where they are unable
to work from home) by making their workplaces ‘COVID-secure’ www.barbour-ehs.com
/www.barbour-ehs.com
/www.barbour-ehs.com
