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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Policy

White Rose Rugby Ltd (WRR)

Health and Safety Policy

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Control Measures

Contents

  1. Scope
  2. Hygiene measures
  3. Travel
  4. Infection Control Point Cleaning
  5. Temperature testing of employees
  6. Social Distancing and area controls
  7. Visitors & Vendors (This includes all non-WRR staff, delivery drivers, sales reps, contractors and general visitors)
  8. New employees joining the business
  9. Suspected Cases
  10. Confirmed Cases

1.    Scope

COVID-19 is an illness that can affect the lungs and airways, it’s caused by a virus called coronavirus. In January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global health emergency. Respiratory symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

The level of provision is based on preventative measures, but an emergency response must be developed if WRR has an outbreak of COVID-19.

This Policy sets out the requirements as of June 2020 based on planned assumptions from impact data. The policy also maps out WRR’s enhanced preventative measures and increased cleaning processes in place to reduce the potential spread of the virus and to safeguard employees and their immediate families.

The COVID-19 virus will remain ‘live’ on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours. Hard surfaces include all types of product as well as machinery, keyboards and workstations

References

Additional information regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found at:

 

  1. Hygiene measures

Regularly and thoroughly cleaning hands with an alcohol-based hand gel or soap and water is known to kill any viruses that may be on our hands and prevent spread and infection (Wash Hands Guide)

  • Washing and hygiene facilities will be provided and maintained ensuring the following as a minimum:
  • Hot water, soap and sanitiser gel
  • Sanitiser gels close to entrances and regular transit areas
  • Hand washing with alcohol-based hand wash or soap and water for at least 20 seconds will be mandated with immediate effect:
  • Routinely every 120 minutes for all employees
  • After coughing or sneezing
  • Before entering office areas / working environments
  • Before entering kitchen facilities
  • After w/c use
  • Soap and water are the best media for handwashing, this should take primacy over hand gels
  • Staff are advised to avoid habitually touching eyes, nose and mouth
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • Put used tissues in the bin and wash your hands immediately after coughing and/or sneezing
  • Increased cleaning profile of touch areas

 

  1. Travel

Reducing travel to essential journeys only will help to limit the spread of the virus and reduce infection therefore the following control measures to reduce non-essential travel will be implemented:

  • All business travel away from the offices is restricted. This will be reviewed on a case by case basis and must be authorised by a Director
  • Management will identify where suitable provision is available for staff to work from home
  • Where practical, meetings should be held using Teams, Zoom or phone to avoid non-essential travel
  • Staff are encouraged to bring lunch with them to be consumed on site
  • Car sharing and use of public transport is to be discouraged
  • Any employees that have returned from foreign travel must have a case review – contact a Director in the first instance to review any potential for self-isolation
  • If either employees or their immediate family members return from personal travelling with ‘flu-like’ symptoms, employees MUST notify their line manager immediately of this as well as notifying the appropriate local medical authorities. Such instances will be reviewed, and risk assessed by the company on a case by case basis, and a period of self-isolation may be requested by the Company.

 

  1. Infection Control Point Cleaning

To reduce the likelihood of spreading the coronavirus, high profile touch areas must be cleaned on a regular basis. Frequency of cleaning is dependant on the area and the risks associated. The following areas have been briefed to Cleaning Operatives and WRR employees alike and must be adhered to:

  • Door handles and door push plates
  • Fridge handles, microwave handles and control panels, vending machine control panels and access door
  • Stair rails/bannisters
  • Desk and table surfaces
  • Office equipment including mouse, keyboard, monitor, photocopier (keypad and trays/drawer handles)
  • Desk phones 

 

  1. Temperature Testing of Site Employees

Temperature testing is mandatory for all persons entering the WRR offices. All employees are encouraged to challenge any person that they believe may have entered site without completing a temperature test. If they have not had their temperature taken they must be directed to the test point.

Procedure

All Temperature Test records will be handed in to a director to be checked and filed.

 

Staff Working from home  

At times there may be a requirement for employees that are working from home to return to site briefly to pick up documentation etc. In these cases, the employee MUST first report to reception to have their temperature tested.

 

  1. Social Distancing

The virus is most likely to spread from person to person when we come into close contact with one another. We can all help stop the spread of the virus by keeping our distance. This means by not shaking hands or exchanging physical greetings, and wherever possible staying at least 2m away from each other. The following restrictions have been put in place to safeguard employees:

  • Kitchen Facilities – Maximum of 2x employees at any one time ensuring 2 metre distancing.
  • Office Areas – Reduce numbers by deploying remote/home working where possible. Organise staff so that a 2 metre distance is observed. Assess rooms and display maximum capacity allowed.

 

  1. Visitors & Vendors (This includes all non-WRR staff, delivery drivers, sales reps, contractors and general visitors)

Only business critical visitors will be permitted to the office. Examples are:

  • Emergency services
  • Essential deliveries
  • Statutory testing (check to see if special dispensation/extension has been granted)

 

Those that are permitted will be asked to confirm the following:

  • Have you been outside the UK in the last 14 days?
  • Have you been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with Covid 19 infection in the last 14 days?
  • Do you have any Flu like symptoms (a) new cough (b) high temperature?

A ‘Yes’ to any of the questions will lead to a refusal to enter the offices, contact details must be taken.

 

  1. New employees joining the business

    • All will be asked to confirm the following:
  • Have you been outside the UK in the last 14 days?
  • Have you been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with Covid 19 infection in the last 14 days?
  • Do you have any Flu like symptoms (a) new cough (b) high temperature?
    • A ‘Yes’ to any of the questions will lead to a refusal to enter site.

  1. Suspected Cases

    • Employees who present the main symptoms of COVID-19 (fever and/or new continuous cough) or who are exposed to a possibly infected person MUST follow the procedures outlined by the government and must self-isolate in the first instance.
  • This is 7 days if you live alone or are the first person in your household with the symptoms.
  • Or 14 days if someone in your household develops the symptoms.
  • If an employee is identified within the workplace as having ‘symptoms’, then ‘first circle’ around this employee must be identified without stigma or discrimination. If the symptoms worsen and are confirmed as COVID-19, an escalation may be required and could include:
  • Deployment of decontamination.
  • See appendix 1 for a guidance chart on Self-isolation.

 

  1. Confirmed Cases

    • If an employee is confirmed as having COVID-19 after they have been sent home from work, then an emergency action plan must be actioned to include the following as a minimum:
  • Contact the ‘first circle’ and review the case with a Director.
  • Deploy an enhanced decontamination of the immediate work area and common touch areas (any surface that may have been touched within the previous 48 hours)

If an employee has come into close contact with someone confirmed as having COVID-19, they should be sent home immediately for self-isolation and will need to follow the NHS self-isolation guidance.

Close contact is defined as:

  • Contact via Track & Trace
  • Living in the same house
  • Face to face – close conversation
  • Being coughed on
  • With 2 meters for more than 15 minutes
  • Contact with their bodily fluids
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