Date
Jul 5th 2021
Reopening after Covid-19
I want to reopen – where do I start?
Given that existing risk assessments may not cover Covid-19 hazards in sufficient detail, employers may wish to develop a specific ‘Reoccupation Risk Assessment’ as part of their reoccupation planning. They must also consider how the key findings and controls from the risk assessment are effectively communicated to staff and other interested parties.
In terms of topic areas, a reoccupation risk assessment might cover the following:
- how employees and contractors can safely enter premises that may have been closed for a number of weeks to prepare the site for reoccupation
- how to safely restart equipment and machinery that has been de-ener- gised for a period of time
- how social distancing measures will be maintained (especially around entrances, lifts and other common areas)
- the provision of adequate hand washing and welfare facilities
- cleaning operations (in the context of Covid-19)
- whether further training is required (and how this will be delivered).
If you are an employer faced with challenging HR or Health & Safety issues then contact SME Advisor on 0330 333 4997 for advice.