Continuity Planning?
Considering again to Monday 16th March 2020 I bear in mind getting up early. I used to be because of go to one among our properties in Tewkesbury. I used to be nearly to depart the home when an electronic mail landed from a senior Director telling us all to ‘Maintain’ all visits and be prepared for a convention name that morning. Sure, this was the beginning of the ‘Lock Down’. With the advantage of hindsight, how prepared have been we for what was about to occur subsequent?
Our administration staff has already undertaken numerous strategic planning workouts. On the 16th March, a ”strategic govt staff” was established and a planning and response process produced – that is nonetheless a reside doc.
Workplace primarily based workers have been then requested to earn a living from home. Inside a number of days we acquired stories {that a} member of workers primarily based at dwelling had hit their head on a shelf. Perhaps time for a DSE evaluation maybe? ‘We may see it was time to leap into motion’
So how did we reply?
One of many first H&S challenges we encountered was the variety of contractors who may be visiting our properties. All non-essential visits had been stopped. LOLER inspections offered us with a number of extra challenges. LOLER engineers would usually have entry to all areas all through our properties. We deemed this ought to be classed as a vital go to and determined one of the best ways ahead can be to attenuate the ”actions” undertaken by the engineer inside every dwelling. We determined to allocate an space/lounge for the engineer to work in and all tools can be delivered to them, checked and put again in situ. This might keep social distancing measures and decrease the chance of cross contamination points throughout the dwelling.
By way of Residence working, the Well being and Security staff have developed a 2 web page self-assessment which now combines DSE, lone working and hearth security. It is simpler to make use of in its present kind and much more streamlined.
Laundry – now we have reviewed our procedures and produced a Normal Working Process (SOP) to assist handle issues referring to contaminated gadgets
Cleansing – Provide points meant we wanted to work rapidly to supply completely different sanitizers and undertake new COSHH threat assessments which are actually in place.
By way of cleansing rooms with confirmed or suspected Covid -19 A Normal working process was additionally produced.
Sustaining hearth security is a vital challenge for all care suppliers right now. We had a lot of properties with on-going enchancment plans in place which have been recognized in a Hearth Danger Evaluation. To assist decrease the onsite visits to the properties by contractors, the staff carried out a assessment of all reside/ongoing hearth threat evaluation actions. Every motion was assigned a RAG (purple, amber or inexperienced) score. This helped us to establish any works classed as important (security essential). Contractors will now solely be permitted to attend websites to finish the remedial works the place the works are deemed Security essential.
RIDDOR reporting of Covid-19 is now reportable as a illness. That is efficient from the 5th April. The problem for us: If a member of workers did develop Covid-19, how would we all know it was on account of office publicity? We now have since developed a screening questionnaire, to assist establish when a report is actually needed
Hearth & Rescue Companies have been beginning to contact us each by way of the H&S Workforce and domestically on to our properties. Completely different ranges of issues have been raised by completely different Hearth & Rescue Companies relating to their deliberate response to 999 calls. They have been conscious of the dangers related to Covid 19. The fireplace service wished to make sure the security of their crew. They might wish to know the variety of optimistic Covid-19 circumstances and likewise suspected circumstances earlier than they have been capable of reply. We now have agreed working protocols in such an occasion that keep security for all.
Lastly, we’re opening a lot of new construct properties which we’d examine and help with the registration/opening. We agreed that such inspections may very well be undertaken remotely with help occurring just about.
The previous few weeks have been actually difficult. Occasions are certainly unprecedented. We now have been offered with a lot of questions that we did not instantly have a solution to. At instances now we have been requested to make the unimaginable, doable. What mattered then was that we have been decided to discover a resolution, which made sense and ensured some type of enterprise continuity.
Now wanting ahead, I am certain there can be an entire host of recent challenges and likewise new questions. We’ll proceed to supply the help and recommendation as and when it’s wanted as now we have at all times carried out earlier than and we are going to attempt to change into much more ”resolution centered” alongside the way in which
Seemingly there are solutions to most questions, however solely if you’re dedicated to discovering them.
Why can we do that job I hear you ask? As a result of security – save lives and has by no means been extra necessary.
Andy Hollingshead (H&S Supervisor), Lisa Harris (H&S Supervisor) and Paul Mason (H&S Director).
