Health and safety for a returning workforce
As COVID-19 restrictions are easing across the UK, businesses are looking ahead over the coming weeks and planning how their workforce can make a safe transition to new working conditions. In this article, we examine the health and safety issues which need to be considered from two perspectives.
So much has changed over the last year as the pandemic caused untold disruption to businesses and their staff. Large numbers of people have been forced to work from home and others have had to adjust to more restrictive conditions and protocols when still attending their usual place of work – or have been furloughed and unable to attend at all. Now we are heading towards another shift and HR teams across the UK are working out the details and practicalities of who should return, when, and what the working environment looks like.
One thing is clear – it is unlikely that businesses will be able to revert to exactly how things were before the pandemic as there are several changes that are set to stay. Examples include social distancing, mask-wearing indoors, and some degree of remote working – perhaps as a hybrid working solution where some days are spent at home and others are in the office. All of this presents a range of issues for HR to consider, including how to deal with the health and safety of all staff as circumstances evolve.
Let’s look at two scenarios – firstly the employees who will opt for home-working as a permanent solution either for some or all of their week. And secondly, those who have potentially been off-site (either working from home temporarily or furloughed) and are now returning to the workplace.
Employees who will continue to work from home some or all of the time
Firstly, it’s important to remember that as an employer, you have the same duty of care and health and safety responsibilities for home workers as you do for the rest of the workforce – even when they are working remotely on a temporary or flexible basis. Bear in mind that there are greater risks for lone workers as they have no direct supervision or colleagues on hand to ask for advice or assistance if things go wrong.
Keeping in touch with your remote workers is key, as is a good understanding of the specific activities they will be doing, how long for, and if their work set-up is safe. Advice on how to protect homeworkers – including guidance on how to set up a work station correctly - is available on the Government HSE website.
Employees who are returning to their office or site after a period of absence
In order to ensure everyone coming back into the working environment is up-to-speed on health and safety procedures and requirements, it is important for HR to provide updated guidance on what is expected. As well as refreshing knowledge that may have been forgotten during a prolonged absence, there may also be a need to give instructions on new Covid-safe measures which have been put in place.
Doing a company-wide update on health and safety protocols can be done much more efficiently using dedicated health and safety software and/or making use of online health and safety courses. Access can provide support with all of this – contact us today and find out how we can make your employees’ return to work a little easier and safer for all?
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