Adverta accepts its responsibilities for premises & sites operating during the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of spread of infection.
This policy is intended to introduce consistent measures in premises, in line with the Government’s recommendations on social distancing.
These are exceptional circumstances and we will comply with the latest Government advice on Coronavirus at all times.
The Management have, at the first instance, carefully looked at the business and enabled all those who can and who should work from home to do so. Where this has not been possible, the business has undertaken a risk assessment to make the working environment as safe as it possible can to follow the Government’s guidance on Corona Virus. A copy of this has been shared with all staff and is also available on our website.
The health and safety requirements of any business activity must also not be compromised at this time. If an activity cannot be undertaken safely due to a lack of suitably qualified personnel being available or social distancing being implemented, it should not take place.
We are aware that emergency services are also under great pressure and may not be in a position to respond as quickly as usual.
Managers should remind the workforce at every opportunity of the Operating Procedures which are aimed at protecting them, their colleagues, their families and the UK population.
If a premises is not consistently implementing the measures set out below, it may be required to shut down.
This policy will be reviewed and revised as necessary in response to changes in legislation or guidance on methods of working. Employees, contractors and suppliers are all required to co-operate with us in making this policy work.
Lisa Ratcliffe
Managing Director
For further information on the procedures we have put in place to operate safely during the Coronavirus pandemic
Self-Isolation
Anyone who meets one of the following criteria should not come to site:
- Has a high temperature or a new persistent cough – follow the guidance on self-isolation
- Is a vulnerable person (by virtue of their age, underlying health condition, clinical condition or are pregnant)
- Is living with someone in self-isolation or a vulnerable person.
Procedure if Someone Falls Ill
If a worker develops a high temperature or a persistent cough while at work, they should:
- Return home immediately
- Avoid touching anything
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue and put it in a bin, or if they do not have tissues, cough and sneeze into the crook of their elbow.
They must then follow the guidance on self-isolation and not return to work until their period of self-isolation has been completed.
Travel to Work
Wherever possible workers should travel to site alone using their own transport and sites need to consider:
- Providing hand cleaning facilities at entrances and exits. This should be soap and water wherever possible or hand sanitiser if water is not available
- How someone taken ill would get home.
Building Access Points
- Stop all non-essential visitors
- Introduce staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact at all times
- Require all workers to wash or clean their hands before entering or leaving the site
- Allow plenty of space (two metres) between people waiting to enter site
- Regularly clean common contact surfaces in reception, office, and delivery areas e.g. scanners, screens, telephone handsets, desks
Hand Washing
- Ensure soap and fresh water is readily available and kept topped up at all times
- Provide hand sanitiser where hand washing facilities are unavailable
- Regularly clean the hand washing facilities and check soap and sanitiser levels
Toilet Facilities
- Wash hands before and after using the facilities
- Enhance the cleaning regimes for toilet facilities particularly door handles, locks and the toilet flush
Eating Arrangements
Whilst there is a requirement to provide a means of heating food and making hot drinks, these are exceptional circumstances and where it is not possible to introduce a means of keeping equipment clean between use, kettles, microwaves etc. must be removed from use.
The workforce should also be required to stay on site once they have entered it and not use local shops.
- Break times should be staggered to reduce congestion and contact at all times
- Hand cleaning facilities or hand sanitiser should be available at the entrance of any room where people eat and should be used by workers when entering and leaving the area
- The workforce should be asked to bring pre-prepared meals and refillable drinking bottles from home
- Workers should sit 2 metres apart from each other whilst eating and avoid all contact
- Drinking water should be provided with enhanced cleaning measures of the tap mechanism introduced
- All rubbish should be put straight in the bin and not left for someone else to clear up
Avoiding Close Working
There will be situations where it is not possible or safe for workers to distance themselves from each other by 2 metres.
General Principles
- Non-essential physical work that requires close contact between workers should not be carried out
- Work requiring skin to skin contact should not be carried out
- Plan all other work to minimise contact between workers
- Re-usable PPE should be thoroughly cleaned after use and not shared between workers
- Barriers & screens in place to protect those who cannot work 2M apart
- Workstations & Desks rearranged to be 2M apart or positioned in way in which persons are not facing each other
- Single use PPE should be disposed of so that it cannot be reused
- Increase ventilation in enclosed spaces
- Regularly clean the inside of vehicle cabs and between use by different operators.
Meetings
- Virtual meetings if possible in the first instance
- Only absolutely necessary meeting participants should attend
- Attendees should be two metres apart from each other
- Rooms should be well ventilated / windows opened to allow fresh air circulation
- Consider holding meetings in open areas where possible.
Cleaning
- Enhanced cleaning procedures should be in place across the site, particularly in communal areas and at touch points including:
- Taps and washing facilities
- Toilet flush and seats
- Door handles and push plates
- Hand rails on staircases and corridors
- Machinery and equipment controls
- Food preparation and eating surfaces
- Telephone equipment
- Key boards, photocopiers and other office equipment
- Rubbish collection and storage points should be increased and emptied regularly.