Continuity Planning?
Considering again to Monday 16th March 2020 I bear in mind getting up early. I used to be on account of go to certainly one of our properties in Tewkesbury. I used to be nearly to depart the home when an e mail landed from a senior Director telling us all to ‘Maintain’ all visits and to be prepared for a convention name that morning. Sure, this was the beginning of the ‘Lock Down’. With the good thing about perception, how prepared had been we for what was about to occur subsequent?
Our administration workforce had already undertaken numerous strategic planning workout routines. On the sixteenthth March, a ”strategic government workforce” was established and a planning and response process was produced – that is nonetheless a dwell doc.
Workplace based mostly employees had been then requested to do business from home. Inside just a few days we obtained studies {that a} member of employees based mostly at residence had hit their head on a shelf. Perhaps time for a DSE evaluation maybe? ‘We might 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 is perhaps visiting our properties. All non-essential visits had been stopped. LOLER inspections introduced us with just a few extra challenges. LOLER engineers would usually have entry to all areas all through our properties. We deemed this needs to be classed as an important go to and determined one of the simplest ways ahead could be to attenuate the ”actions” undertaken by the engineer inside every residence. We determined to allocate an space/lounge for the engineer to work in and all gear could be dropped at them, checked and put again in there. This may preserve social distancing measures and decrease the chance of cross contamination points throughout the residence.
When it comes to House working, the Well being and Security workforce has 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 is way extra streamlined.
Laundry – we’ve reviewed our procedures and produced a Normal Working Process (SOP) to assist tackle considerations regarding contaminated objects
Cleansing – Provide points meant we wanted to work rapidly to supply completely different sanitizers and undertake new COSHH danger assessments which are actually in place.
When it comes to cleansing rooms with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. A Normal working process was additionally produced.
Sustaining hearth security is a vital situation for all care suppliers presently. We’ve got a variety 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 the contractors, the workforce carried out a overview of all dwell/ongoing hearth danger evaluation actions. Every motion was assigned a RAG (pink, amber or inexperienced) score. This helps us to determine any works classed as important (security important). Contractors will now solely be permitted to attend websites to finish the remedial works the place the works are deemed Security important.
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 employees developed Covid-19, how would we all know it was a results of office publicity? We’ve got since developed a screening questionnaire, to assist determine when a report is in actual fact needed
Hearth & Rescue Companies had been beginning to contact us each via the H&S Staff and domestically on to our properties. Totally different ranges of concern had been raised by completely different Hearth & Rescue Companies concerning their deliberate response to 999 calls. They had been conscious of the dangers related to Covid 19. The fireplace service needed to make sure the security of their crew. They’d need to know the variety of constructive Covid-19 circumstances and likewise suspected circumstances earlier than they had been in a position to reply. We’ve got agreed working protocols in such an occasion that preserve security for all.
Lastly, we’re opening a variety of new construct properties which we’d examine and assist with the registration/opening. We agreed that such inspections might be undertaken remotely with assist occurring nearly.
The previous few weeks have been actually difficult. Instances are certainly unprecedented. We’ve got been introduced with a variety of questions that we did not instantly have a solution to. At instances we’ve been requested to make the unimaginable potential. What mattered then was that we had been decided to discover a resolution, which made sense and ensured some type of enterprise continuity.
Now trying ahead, I am certain there can be an entire host of latest challenges and likewise new questions. We are going to proceed to supply the assist and recommendation as and when it’s wanted as we’ve at all times accomplished earlier than and we are going to try to develop into much more ”resolution targeted” alongside the way in which
Seemingly there are solutions to most questions, however solely in case you are 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 vital.
Andy Hollingshead (H&S Supervisor), Lisa Harris (H&S Supervisor) and Paul Mason (H&S Director).