COVID-19 Return To Work - for Employees 

As we start a phased return to the workplace the following guidelines have been developed for employees to follow, to enable us to be safe and to minimise the risk of COVID-19 infection.

BEFORE RETURNING TO WORK

You will be asked to complete a Return to Work questionnaire and invited to contribute to the risk assessment review of your work activities and working areas. These will allow you to raise any concerns you might have and to help ensure everyone is kept as safe as possible.

You will be required to attend your work location approximately three days prior to your return to work to undergo a test. You will receive an invitation giving you details. When travelling to undergo your test, you will be required to wear your own PPE. However, you you will be able to pick up company PPE when you attend the test and it will then be your responsibility to use it for work.

TRAVELLING TO AND FROM WORK

Objective: To get employees to and from their workplace without exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

You will be provided with PPE as detailed above. Please carry your mask and wear it when moving around public areas.

If you have been asked to return to work, you should avoid using public transport where possible. We will consult with you on the safest way to get to and from work, considering times, routes and ways you travel in order to achieve this. Means of travel are, in order of preference:

  • Walking, cycling, or driving alone.

  • In a shared vehicle with a colleague – the passenger should travel in the rear

  • Overground and/or bus

  • Underground/tube – to be avoided wherever possible

It is required that you wear a face mask or covering, and use hand sanitiser/wipes regularly during all journeys. These will be provided to you before you are expected to travel unless walking, cycling or driving alone, where their use is optional. It is important that 2 metre social distancing is observed wherever possible and that masks/face coverings are not seen as an alternative to this essential practice.

ENTERING, LEAVING AND MOVEMENTS WITHIN THE WORKPLACE

Objective: To maintain social distancing wherever possible and to ensure good hygiene practices are followed.

You will be provided with masks and gloves. You will not need to wear a mask when working at your desk, unless you are unable to achieve a 2M distance from others with no alternative safety controls in place ie a screen. However, you will be required to wear a mask when moving around areas where you may be in contact with other people. Assume you will meet someone and be prepared by wearing a mask. Please be mindful and keep movement around premises to a minimum.

We will provide hand sanitiser at entry and exit points and at key points throughout each location. You will be expected to use this each time you pass through one of these key points.

All employees should wash your hands for 20 seconds upon first arrival at the workplace, when about to move between buildings/areas, and when departing the workplace

Where possible, you are encouraged to gently push doors open with a shoulder/body, to avoid touching handles with hands. We will stagger arrival and departure times at work where practical to reduce crowding into and out of the workplace, taking into account logistical requirements and to ensure that journeys are completed outside of peak times.

You will be required to only use the floor on which you are based - non-essential movement will be discouraged, with telephone communication preferable where possible. You will be required to use the stairs. If you use lifts, please ensure only one person at a time is in the lift.

Antibacterial wipes will be placed at key points throughout the building and you will be required to wipe equipment/facilities after use. Examples are (but not limited to):-

  • Printers/photocopiers

  • Zip Taps

  • Tea/coffee/sugar etc

  • Keyboards

  • Mouse

  • Phone

  • Chargers

Disposable cups and spoons will be provided. Use one set each day, keeping your cup and spoon for repeat use throughout that day.

To minimise risks, you will be required to only use your own computer equipment (keyboard, mouse, phone etc) where possible. If, during the course of carrying out your role, you are required to touch any of your colleague’s equipment temporarily, please use gloves which are disposed of afterwards. Where there is no alternative to using other people’s workstations for extended periods, please wipe to sterilise the keyboard and mouse before and after use.

SOCIAL DISTANCING AT WORK

Objective: To maintain 2m social distancing wherever possible, whilst at work.

You will be asked to maintain social distancing within your office/work environment so that you are not immediately adjacent to any of your colleagues. This means you may not always work on the same days or times, so as to ensure that buildings/sites are not operating to full capacity during this crisis.

Where the social distancing guidelines cannot be followed in full in relation to a particular activity we will:

  • Ask you to increase the frequency of hand washing

  • Conduct surface cleaning more often

  • Keep the activity time involved as short as possible

  • Use screens or barriers to separate people from each other wherever practical Implement back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than face-to-face) whenever possible Reduce the number of people each person has contact with by having a rotation system (so each person works with only a few others)

  • Supply face masks that should always be worn when and where social distancing cannot be achieved

Face-to-face meetings should be avoided in order to reduce or eliminate virus transmission.

Please use other options:

  • Remote working tools to be used (Zoom for example) where possible

  • Only absolutely necessary participants should attend unavoidable meetings, maintaining 2M separation throughout

WELFARE FACILITIES/COMMON AREAS

Objective: To maintain social distancing while using welfare facilities and common areas.

Kitchens – you will be required to restrict entry to the kitchens/kitchenettes to one person at a time, wipe surfaces and contact points before use, and ensure you clean up after yourself.

Eating and drink/food preparation areas should be either:

  • closed and locked, with staff bringing their own food and drink to eat at their workplace, or:

  • where small areas without access restriction (door), limited to use by one person at a time, or:

  • Where small rooms with a door, the door should be closed ONLY when in use with a sign on the door stating that the room is occupied

Food should not be left in communal sharing areas or fridges – bring in what you need each day.

As described, disposable cups and spoons will be provided. Use the same ones throughout the day and bring your own supplies with you – do not use the dishwashers.

Your break times should be staggered to minimise contact with others at common areas, alternatively remain at your place of work. If you have use of a company vehicle, we suggest having your breaks there, away from others.

You are requested to remain on-site during your working hours to avoid concerns over achieving 2M distancing in corridors and exit/entrance areas and to avoid the use of local shops.

Toilet hygiene is crucial.

  • Follow the usual cleaning up after yourself and checking process

  • Toilet lid should be CLOSED when flushing

  • Disinfect taps, basin and toilet flush handle

  • Always wash and dry hands when finished

  • Clean door handles with the wipes provided before leaving

YOUR NEW MISSION AWAITS.