Back to Work Induction Training Course Covid-19

Additional Information

Businesses and employees will need to follow detailed safety protocols when they reopen after COVID-19 closures or where a company remained open but with a reduced number of staff.

Employers must ensure the safety, health, and welfare at work of all their employees who are returning to work or continuing to work from home.

Employees also have responsibilities when they are returning to work or continuing to work from home.

The protocol describes the steps that employers and employees should take before a workplace reopens to make sure they can return to work safely. It also covers how businesses should operate after they reopen to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

Planning for Return to Work:

• All employers must prepare and put systems and controls in place before they reopen their business and workplaces, your employer must:
• Appoint at least one lead employee to make sure safety measures are in place and being followed.
• Update business and safety plans, including the business COVID-19 response plan, the occupational health and safety risk assessment and the safety statement.
• Include how to deal with a suspected case of COVID-19 in the safety plans and appoint a dedicated lead employee for dealing with suspected cases.
• Develop, consult on, communicate and implement workplace changes or policies.
• Send out a pre-return to work form to employees at least three (3) days before their return to work.
• The form will ask employees to confirm they have not had symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days, have not been diagnosed or suspected of COVID-19 in the past 14 days, have not been in close contact with someone confirmed or suspected of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and are not self-isolating or cocooning.
• Provide COVID-19 induction training for all staff.
• Put in place temperature testing in line with public health advice.

Staying Safe at Work:

Employers and employees should work together to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, your employer must:

• Have appropriate hygiene facilities in place, display posters of good hand washing practices and have proper ventilation.
• Give tissues as well as bins or bags for employee’s disposal of tissues.
• Empty bins regularly and provide advice on good respiratory practice.
• Provide for physical distancing across all work activities of at least two (2) metres as much as possible.
• Put in place arrangements for meetings and canteen facilities.
• Put in place a no handshaking policy, no sharing of cups or pens, adapt sign in or sign out systems.
• Install physical barriers, such as clear plastic sneeze guards between workers were two (2) metre distancing is not possible.
• Keep a log of any group work to help with contact tracing.
• Have regular cleaning of the workplace and provide hand sanitisers.
• Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and protective clothing where there is an identified COVID-19 exposure risk and in line with public health advice.
• Make sure employees look after their mental health and well-being and are aware of any employee assistance programmes.

If an employee has symptoms of the virus during work hours, your employer must have a designated isolation area for employees and must follow a specific procedure:

• The designated manager must direct the person to a designated isolation area, along a designated route.
• Maintain a two (2) metre distance.
• Arrange for the employee to stay in isolation before arranging for them to be transported home, or to a medical facility, avoiding public transport.
• Carry out a full risk assessment of the incident to see what, if any, further action needs to be taken.

As an Employee, you should:

• Follow public health advice and guidance.
• Work together with your employer and follow any specific procedures and instructions from your employer to keep safe.
• Adopt good hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing, respiratory etiquette and physical distancing.
• Get professional healthcare advice if you are unwell.
• Not go to work if you have any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Let your employer know if you believe there are reasons why it is not safe for you to be at work, or if you are concerned that you could be putting a member of your household at risk.

If you require support to carry out a review and update of your safety statement, put in place a return to work protocol, with COVID-19 risk assessments, or require further information on our Covid-19 Back to Work Induction Training Course, please contact a member of our team at Phoenix STS Ltd