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What is a ‘COVID-secure workplace’?

Assess the risk

A COVID-19 risk assessment will protect your team and others from coronavirus and allow you to safely operate your business. It is crucial to identify:

  • What work activity or situations might cause transmission of the virus
  • Consider who could be at a higher risk within your team
  • Review how likely it is that someone could be exposed
  • Act to remove or modify the activity or situation to control the risk.

Maintain social distancing

Where possible, you should keep people 2 metres apart. If this is not viable, keeping 1 metre apart with risk mitigation is acceptable.

  • Some practical measures you can implement to maintain this include:
  • Using floor tape or paint to mark work areas
  • Providing signage to remind people to keep a 2m distance.
  • Having people working side-by-side rather than face-to-face.
  • Limiting movement of people:
    • Rotating between jobs and equipment
    • Using lifts and work vehicles
    • In high-traffic areas like corridors, turnstiles and walkways
    • Allow only essential trips within buildings and between sites

Common areas

This includes break areas, bathrooms, toilets, meeting rooms and accommodation used by many people. The potential spread of coronavirus is higher in these areas if proper controls are not in place.

Identify and review the common areas within your workplace, including:

  • Toilets and bathrooms
  • Kitchens and tea points
  • Canteens
  • Reception areas

Also consider ‘pinch points’:

  • Narrow corridors
  • Staircases and lifts
  • Doorways
  • Storage areas

Cleaning, hygiene and handwashing

Coronavirus can transfer from people to surfaces. It can be passed on to others who touch the same surfaces.

Keeping your workplace clean and frequent handwashing reduces the potential for coronavirus to spread and it is a critical part of keeping your business COVID-secure.

Handwashing and Hand Sanitiser

Provide:

  • Handwashing facilities with running water, soap and paper towels.
  • Hand sanitiser stations in locations near washrooms and doorways.

Cleaning the Workplace

Maintaining a clean workplace is arguably the most important practice in creating a COVID-secure environment.

Clean Frequently

  • Keep surfaces clear so that cleaning can be carried out more effectively
  • Clean work areas and equipment between uses
  • Frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly
  • If equipment like tools or vehicles are shared, then clean them after each use

Identify Frequently Touched Surfaces

These areas will require more cleaning than normal, these include:

  • Work surfaces
  • Door handles, windows and bannisters
  • Computer keyboards, printers, touch screens, monitors and phones
  • Taps, kettles, heaters, fridges, microwaves and cupboards

Put in place measures to clean surfaces and objects after each use where possible, for example phones and conferencing facilities in a meeting room. If it’s not practical to clean after each use, such as lift buttons that are used continuously throughout the day, make sure they are cleaned often

If you feel that you could benefit from additional free practical advice we at Why Bother Cleaning can share our COVID-secure workplace Risk Assessment with you, just get in contact with us 01273 776056, or email info@why-bother.co.uk.

Further guidance: https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/index.htm

Why Bother Cleaning? We’ll do it for you!

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to make sure that your space is clean and continues to be cleaned regularly. We have already written a blog post on the importance of a regular commercial deep clean, and the benefits it can give your business’ growth when you’re not distracted by doing the cleaning yourself.

Why Bother Cleaning can help you maintain a COVID-secure workplace, we offer one off deep cleans, electrostatic disinfection and regular commercial cleaning across Brighton & Hove. We have provided superior cleaning to commercial environments since 2006, delivering exceptional results and happy clients. To find out more, give us a call at 01273 776056, or email info@why-bother.co.uk.