Continuity Planning?
Pondering again to Monday 16th March 2020 I keep in mind getting up early. I used to be as a consequence of go to one in every of our properties in Tewkesbury. I used to be nearly to go away the home when an electronic 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 staff had already undertaken numerous strategic planning workout routines. On the sixteenthth March, a ”strategic govt staff” was established and a planning and response process was produced – that is nonetheless a stay doc.
Workplace primarily based workers had been then requested to earn a living from home. Inside just a few days we obtained stories {that a} member of workers primarily based at residence had hit their head on a shelf. Possibly 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 may be visiting our properties. All non-essential visits had been stopped. LOLER inspections offered 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 best 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 tools could be dropped at them, checked and put again in there. This is able to keep social distancing measures and reduce the danger of cross contamination points inside the residence.
When it comes to House working, the Well being and Security staff 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 type and is much extra streamlined.
Laundry – we’ve reviewed our procedures and produced a Normal Working Process (SOP) to assist deal with considerations 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.
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 problem for all care suppliers at the moment. We’ve plenty of properties with on-going enchancment plans in place which were recognized in a Hearth Danger Evaluation. To assist reduce the onsite visits to the properties by the contractors, the staff carried out a assessment of all stay/ongoing hearth threat evaluation actions. Every motion was assigned a RAG (purple, amber or inexperienced) score. This helps us to establish any works classed as important (security crucial). Contractors will now solely be permitted to attend websites to finish the remedial works the place the works are deemed Security crucial.
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 developed Covid-19, how would we all know it was a results of office publicity? We’ve since developed a screening questionnaire, to assist establish when a report is in actual fact vital
Hearth & Rescue Companies had been beginning to contact us each by way of the H&S Group and regionally 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 hearth service wished to make sure the security of their crew. They might wish to know the variety of constructive Covid-19 instances and likewise suspected instances earlier than they had been capable of reply. We’ve agreed working protocols in such an occasion that keep security for all.
Lastly, we’re opening plenty of new construct properties which we’d examine and help with the registration/opening. We agreed that such inspections might be undertaken remotely with help taking place just about.
The previous few weeks have been actually difficult. Occasions are certainly unprecedented. We’ve been offered with plenty of questions that we did not instantly have a solution to. At occasions we’ve been requested to make the not possible doable. What mattered then was that we had been decided to discover a answer, which made sense and ensured some type of enterprise continuity.
Now trying ahead, I am positive there will probably be a complete host of recent challenges and likewise new questions. We are going to proceed to supply the help and recommendation as and when it’s wanted as we’ve at all times completed earlier than and we’ll attempt to grow to be much more ”answer centered” alongside the best way
Seemingly there are solutions to most questions, however solely if you’re dedicated to discovering them.
Why will we do that job I hear you ask? As a result of security – save lives and has by no means been extra essential.
Andy Hollingshead (H&S Supervisor), Lisa Harris (H&S Supervisor) and Paul Mason (H&S Director).
