ADVICE & OPINION
TOUCH AND GO
FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET
Paul Hearne, Executive Director, Express Vending on how, with the help of the latest vending
technologies, FMs can provide automated COVID-compliant catering in the workplace
Despite many workers continuing
to work from home, there are, of
course, those who are based, at least
some of the time in the workplace,
meaning catering options still need to
be provided. In sometimes half empty
buildings, how can catering facilities
stay COVID-19 compliant while
remaining convenient and accessible?
Vending solutions are a useful way of
complying with the pandemic’s hygiene
restrictions, as they o er added value in
terms of social distancing. Not only do
they not require sta to man them, but
food options are hygienically sealed,
giving sta some additional protection.
Technology developments have also
meant some machines will accept
payments via digital assets like apps,
which means people only need to touch
the vending machine once to make their
purchase.
EFFECTIVE CONTROLS
We made it clear from the start that our
on-site visits would be slightly di erent
to maintain social distancing measures
with the focus to ensure the safety and
wellbeing of our customers and our sta .
Vending and catering suppliers must
always work within the guidelines set
out by Government and local authorities
and send out relevant COVID-19
marketing and pre-delivery inspection
and installation information before team
visits. It’s essential to prepare sta for
onsite visits, while prioritising critical
control points to eliminate or reduce
hazards to an acceptable level.
For example, internal audit
programmes should be reviewed to
ensure the focus is on processes most
at risk because of changes introduced
in response to COVID-19. This includes a
greater emphasis on hygiene and more
attention paid to cleaning surfaces and
hand sanitisation during site installation;
with the inclusion of wearing the
necessary PPE when entering sites.
If it’s necessary for FMs to use an
16 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021
emergency alternative supplier, check
existing certifications, audit reports
and request product samples to ensure
requirements are met. It’s also important
to check if any new allergens are present
with any new supplies and if the product
shelf life is impacted.
Remember, access to customer sites
will need to be reviewed and may be
restricted, so it’s essential to check any
new site rules for visitors are provided in
advance. A big focus for managers should
be communicating the new post-COVID
risk assessments and controls e ectively
and checking all measures are being
complied with across the building.
When it comes to facilitating a safe
working environment, the simplest
measures can be the most e ective:
» Where possible, we split employees
into teams and staggered shi patterns
to minimise the number of people
working at one time and limit the risk of
infection in our own premises.
» We also created additional protection
via social distancing markers or stickers
which we used on site and included as
part of our updated HUB o erings to
clients.
» Fitting catering areas with
additional measures, like Perspex
screens and socially distanced floor
markers, o ers reminders to users
about distancing guidelines and
encourages adherence.
» Plus, where contact is unavoidable
– for example, opening and closing
fridges – contact-free hand sanitising
stations o er a sought-a er layer of
security. This can be achieved through
additional training on risk awareness
specific to the controls for COVID-19
front-line working and around the use
and wearing of additional PPE, such
as masks and gloves, where they are
required.
In many ways, challenging situations
mean risk assessments are sometimes
more thorough, and further reduces
the chances of issues later down the
line. One of our greatest successes in
risk assessment was empowering our
sta to carry out dynamic assessments
at each location they visited and
supporting them to walk away if they
did not feel the area had the correct
restrictions in place.
ENHANCED AND LONG-TERM
CATERING SOLUTIONS
While COVID-19 restrictions continue to
be in place, vending solutions, such as
Micro Markets and workplace catering
have been adapted to ensure alternative
options can be o ered with improved
health and safety features.
For example, Express Vending installed
a vending HUB at Collins’ Aerospace, just
as COVID-19 restrictions were starting
to take place. Collins Aerospace had
temporarily stopped its shi patterns
during COVID-19 and put its night shi
workers on a day shi , so the HUB was a
much-needed solution in providing sta
with sustenance during the pandemic
and beyond. The new HUBs came with
hand sanitising stations for both entry
and exit points and two-metre stickers
were added to make the area COVID-19
compliant.
Additional signage and guidance on
distancing and handwashing was also
provided, along with suggested control
over numbers in the specific area.
CONTACT-FREE SOLUTIONS
As organisations upgrade solutions to be
COVID-compliant, one of the priorities
is ensuring as many touch points
are removed from sites as possible.
Touch-free co ee machines reduce the
risk of spreading bacteria and viruses
such as COVID-19, without the need to
compromise on your site’s hot drinks
facilities. This is why there is now the
option of co ee machines that use
Distance Selection technology. This new
technology allows individuals to select
a drink by hovering their finger over the
selection screen, from a distance of up to
two centimetres.
We also added a HUB Beacon App,
to our customer catering options. As
well as contactless payment options via
the kiosk, this app allows sta to scan
items and pay on their smart device,
eliminating unnecessary touch points.
Another health and safety feature on
Micro Market fridges is where, if food is
out of date, it automatically locks, so
you do not have the risk of sta eating
out of date food, especially relevant in
the current situation where throughput
is erratic.
Looking past the current crisis and the
future of the workplace, I believe some
of the changes made due to COVID-19
restrictions may be more long-term,
with a deeper appreciation of the
convenience and safety of pre-packaged
food and drink for sta .
FAST FACTS