As many in the UK ponder about whether the time is right to move employees back into the workplace, the Health and Safety Executive and other governmental bodies have started to outline guidance on what you can do to keep your workplace safe. This will be important not only from a humanistic standpoint but also in keeping your employees happy and engaged in the working environment.
- Have you considered social distancing when setting up desks?
For offices, the nature of the work means much of it can be done remotely without much physical input by others. This means if you do decide to return workers to the office you will need to keep desks separate in a way that keeps workers two metres apart. This may be easier for some workplaces over others, however, if workers have the ability, they can work from home to ensure everyone is kept safe. Additionally, in preparation for workers coming back to work in a shared space, your office needs to have sufficient ventilation. This means making sure that your air conditioning system is working in full condition. There are many HVAC services that can provide this kind of check (check out this website and many others for examples) so that your office is in full working order for your returning workers.
- Do you have ample hand sanitiser and wash stations?
Hand sanitizer is in hot demand at the moment however securing some in addition to general wash stations will help you manage the potential for an outbreak of COVID-19 in your workplace. Make sure these are easily accessible and prevent the chance for cross-contamination as much as possible.
- Do your workers congregate in certain areas?
Whilst keeping people separate at their desks may be relatively straightforward, managing how they come in and out of the workspace may be challenging. To deal with potential bottlenecks, look staggered start and leaving times to manage the flow of workers in and out. Additionally, tech and app-based solutions could also help you remind employees of the need to keep apart.
- Is it impractical for workers to be 2 metres apart and what precautions are you taking?
If you are in a situation or industry where it is impractical to keep workers 2 metres apart from each other, you should consider the use of PPE and sanitisation as a means of risk mitigation. Remember, the current advice from the government is that you should work from home if you can, so consider relaying this to your employees if you feel it will help deal with the potential risks. However, if you know that workers can’t be 2 metres apart, then the use of PPE will be essential and it would be beneficial to look into Unigloves or similar websites to ensure the procurement of sufficient protective equipment for all employees.
Pay attention to all aspects of a worker’s health and safety to ensure your workplace is safe
For your workplace to be truly safe, you will have to incorporate more than just the correct social distancing and sanitisation compliance. The impact of the virus is going to affect employees who are all likely to have been either directly or indirectly impacted by the virus.
To keep employee welfare as high as possible, ensure you have a good grasp of mental health management techniques and are considering how your employees will be impacted by the work being performed.
