UPDATED: Working safely during coronavirus

April 12, 2021

Find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure

As of Monday 12th April, non-essential retail, gyms, hairdressers and beauty salons can let customers inside. Social distancing rules continue to apply – with indoor settings to be visited alone or as part of a one-household group.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes can open for outdoor service, with no curfew, and no requirement for a substantial meal to be served with alcohol. Outdoor gatherings are still limited to either six people or two households.

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New guidance for every sector on workplace safety:

Updated guidance on how to make your workplace secure, including the importance of ventilation and updated information on customer fitting rooms has been published. The government have devised 14 guides that cover a range of different types of work and they have now updates these to reflect the new measures as we continue our lockdown-exit journey.

Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of these guides as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe. Priority actions are outlined at the top of each guide.

The guides can be found HERE

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New QR code posters for hospitality:

There will be new posters displaying QR codes for hospitality venues in England. Work has taken place with the industry to make the posters clearer and easier to use. All venues in England in scope of the regulations are legally required to display an official NHS QR code poster.

Find out more HERE

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Options for workforce testing:

Every employer and every sector is unique. So, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) aims to be pragmatic about which delivery channels can be used.

This is in line with the ambition to provide as many people as possible who do not have COVID-19 symptoms and need to leave home for work with access to testing.

There are 3 options for businesses:

Option 1: Employer-led set-up (‘DIY’)
Employers can set up their own on-site testing programmes, outside of that which currently exists with the NHS Test and Trace service.

Option 2: use a third-party provider
DHSC is aware of third-party private-sector (non-NHS) providers undergoing UKAS accreditation who may be able to provide on-site COVID-19 testing services. Employers who would like on-site testing but would prefer a private provider to organise and run the testing on their behalf can partner with one of the providers on the list of providers: general testing.

Option 3: community testing
For organisations in the public and private sector that have fewer than 50 employees, access to testing is through local authorities who are establishing testing sites for those without symptoms within their local areas.