Covid-19 Information

Since December 2019 when the first case of Covid-19 was discovered in Wuhan in China, countries around the world have faced unprecedented health and economic challenges beyond imagination of this generation.

Like most of the countries of the world the UK government responded with a lockdown of the country from 23rd March 2020. Since then the government have issued series of guidelines that are aimed at making the workplace and businesses safe for workers and customers as much as possible to re-open.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said:

This guidance provides a framework to get the UK back to work in a way that is safe for everyone.

These are practical steps to enable employers to identify risks that COVID-19 creates and to take pragmatic measures to mitigate them.

And as we are able to reopen new sectors of the economy, we will continue our collaborative approach working with a wide range of stakeholders, to provide guidance for additional workplaces.

Sarah Albon Chief Executive, Health and Safety Executive

The BEIS guidance issued today sets out practical steps employers can take to enable staff to continue and return to work. We have worked with BEIS to ensure businesses have access to the information they need to put in place measures to help them work safely. This will assist employers in carrying out risk assessments and putting practical measures in place.

At the heart of the return to work is controlling the risk posed by the virus. Ensuring safe working practices are in place will help deliver a safe return to work and support businesses across the country.

Craig Beaumont, Director of External Affairs and Advocacy at the Federation of Small Businesses commented:

FSB has engaged through this process with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and we appreciate that our points have been taken on board for the UK small business community.

Today’s guidance is practical, workable and proportionate for small businesses.

It will be a long journey but this guidance will provide the basis for small employers to have the positive conversations needed with their staff. This is the first step to getting the economy back on its feet.

Carolyn Fairbairn, Director-General of the CBI commented:

Safety is at the heart of business thinking. Unless people feel safe, employees won’t return, customers will stay away and the restart will falter, harming livelihoods and public services.

This guidance will help. It gives firms a clearer picture of how to reopen safely and gradually.

The UK faces months of change and challenge. These guidelines will need to continue to evolve based on insight from the ground.

Jonathan Geldart, Director General of the Institute of Directors commented:

This guidance is an important first step. It won’t provide every answer, no guidance can, but directors can use it to inform their risk assessments for operating in this pandemic.
 

A KEY PART OF THE GUIDANCE ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT IS

Reinforcing cleaning processes

Workplaces should be cleaned more frequently, paying close attention to high-contact objects like door handles and keyboards. Employers should provide handwashing facilities or hand sanitisers at entry and exit points.

A downloadable notice is included in the documents, which employers should display in their workplaces to show their employees, customers and other visitors to their workplace, that they have followed this guidance.

Before reopening
Objective: To make sure that any site or location that has been closed or partially operated is clean and ready to restart, including:

- an assessment for all sites, or parts of sites, that have been closed, before restarting work
- carrying out cleaning procedures and providing hand sanitiser before restarting work

Steps that will usually be needed:

1. Checking whether you need to service or adjust ventilation systems, for example, so that they do not automatically reduce ventilation levels due to lower than normal occupancy levels.

2. Most air conditioning systems do not need adjustment, however where systems serve multiple buildings or you are unsure, advice can be sought from your heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineers or advisers.

3. Opening windows and doors frequently to encourage ventilation, where possible.

Keeping the workplace clean
Objective: To keep the workplace clean and prevent transmission by touching contaminated surfaces.

Steps that will usually be needed:

- Frequent cleaning of work areas and equipment between uses, using your usual cleaning products.
- Frequent cleaning of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, such as door handles and keyboards, and making sure there are adequate disposal arrangements.
- Clearing workspaces and removing waste and belongings from the work area at the end of a shift.
- Limiting or restricting use of high-touch items and equipment, for example, printers or whiteboards.
- If you are cleaning after a known or suspected case of COVID-19 then you should refer to the specific guidance.

Hygiene: handwashing, sanitation facilities and toilets
Objective: To help everyone keep good hygiene through the working day.

Steps that will usually be needed:

- Using signs and posters to build awareness of good handwashing technique, the need to increase handwashing frequency, avoid touching your face and to cough or sneeze into a tissue which is binned safely, or -into your arm if a tissue is not available.
- Providing regular reminders and signage to maintain personal hygiene standards.
- Providing hand sanitiser in multiple locations in addition to washrooms.
- Setting clear use and cleaning guidance for toilets to ensure they are kept clean and social distancing is achieved as much as possible.
- Enhancing cleaning for busy areas.
- Providing more waste facilities and more frequent rubbish collection.
- Providing hand drying facilities – either paper towels or electrical driers.

Changing rooms and showers
Objective: To minimise the risk of transmission in changing rooms and showers.

Steps that will usually be needed:

- Where shower and changing facilities are required, setting clear use and cleaning guidance for showers, lockers and changing rooms to ensure they are kept clean and clear of personal items and social distancing is achieved as much as possible.
- Introducing enhanced cleaning of all facilities regularly during the day and at the end of the day.

Handling goods, merchandise and other materials, and onsite vehicles
Objective: To reduce transmission through contact with objects that come into the workplace and vehicles at the worksite.

Steps that will usually be needed:

- Cleaning procedures for goods and merchandise entering the site.
- Cleaning procedures for vehicles.
- Introducing greater handwashing and handwashing facilities for workers handling goods and merchandise and providing hand sanitiser where this is not practical.
- Regular cleaning of vehicles that workers may take home.
- Restricting non-business deliveries, for example, personal deliveries to workers.

In line with the above KOSMO SERVICES offer special cleaning services as follows

TOUCH POINT CLEANING

This is provided by the existing cleaning team and will become the new norm with increased frequency of cleaning and wiping of high touch point areas. As explained by virologist bacteria and all forms of viruses are easily picked up from surfaces such as door handles, lift buttons, washroom amenities, desks, balustrades and communal areas.

As businesses move towards re-opening they will need to look at implementing these increased cleaning measures as part of cleaning schedules in order to protect employees and the general public alike, giving them peace of mind and confidence in returning to work and public places.

To achieve this level of cleaning will require additional time by the cleaners in most cases.

ENHANCED SANITISATION/DISINFECTING CLEANING

This standard includes the use of viricidal cleaning products on surfaces, a light spray of doors, walls, bathroom, washroom areas, kitchen and lounge, bedroom. This service is recommended after the deep clean of the properties and those premises which have been closed during the lockdown period  to assist with preventing illness and killing germs.

We use an enhanced selection of chemicals for this level of cleaning.

SELGIENE ULTRA Kills enveloped viruses, including Coronavirus, HIV, Hepatitis C and Influenza viruses. Passes EN 1276 and EN 14476 Manufactured in the UK to ISO 9001, 14001 & 1800

SELGIENE EXTREME Unperfumed bactericidal, virucidal cleaner, optimal disinfection for use in healthcare, catering and high risk applications. Kills Norovirus, E. Coli, Swine Flu, HIV, Hepatitis C, MRSA & Clostridium difficile Passes EN 1276, 13704, 1650, 14476 & 14675.

XTRAPROTECT Has up to a 30 second kill time; not only does it give great cleaning results at the time of application, but it also carries on protecting that surface for up to 8 days. When applied, XtraProtect leaves a microbial layer on the surface which continues to kill germs and bacteria without having to re-apply killing such nasties as e-coli, MRSA and C Diff, biofilm. A great product for clinical, medical, catering or educational environments.

It is certified to BS EN: 1276/14476 and proven to kill MRSA, E-coli, Norovirus and Coronavirus.