Covid-19

Social distancing-

Social distancing rules are a series of measures, set by the UK Government, which should be implemented to reduce social interaction between people in order to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19. A key safeguard included within the social distancing rules is to maintain a distance of at least 2.0m (6'-6") from other people where possible. Where maintaining a distance of 2.0m is not viable, it is permissible to maintain 1.0m provided that risk mitigation measures are also in place. In such cases, risk mitigation measures should be determined by risk assessment and employees made aware of the strict requirements. Risk mitigation measures include:- l Further increasing the frequency of hand washing and surface cleaning. l Keeping the activity time involved as short as possible. l Using screens or barriers to separate people from each other. l Using back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than face-to-face) whenever possible. l Reducing the number of people each person has contact with by using ‘fixed teams or partnering’ (so each person works with only a few others). Social distancing applies to all parts of a business, not just the place where people spend most of their time, but also entrances and exits, break rooms, canteens and similar settings. These are often the most challenging areas to maintain social distancing and workers should be specifically reminded by displaying notices, markings on floors etc. Guidance for Scaffolding Operations During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Issue 6 – 29 January 2021 S

Self isolation-

All employees should be advised that anyone who meets one or more of the following criteria should not travel to work and must follow the guidance on self isolation:- l High temperature. l Persistent cough. l Loss or change in normal sense of taste or smell. l Clinically extremely vulnerable or on the shielded patient list. l Has been contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service. l Living with someone else who is showing symptoms of COVID-19. If so, they should stay away from work for 10 days from the first day of illness (see below). People who have to self isolate must not:- l Go to work, school or public places. l Travel on public transport or use taxis. l Go out to get food or medicine. This should be ordered online or brought home by a friend, neighbour or relative. l Have visitors in their home, including friends and family, except for people who provide essential care. l Go out to exercise. This must be done at home or in their garden, in they have one. Clinically extremely vulnerable people should not go to work and should follow the latest Government guidance on shielding. If they cannot work from home they should stay at home and may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, Employment Support Allowance or possibly the Coronavirus Job retention Scheme (on furlough). If working on domestic or healthcare premises where a person or persons are self-isolating or shielding, it is prohibited to enter the building or come within 2.0m of them. It is advisable to notify the household or healthcare providers of the work taking place and to enquire if anyone is self-isolating or shielding prior to attending site.

Procedure if someone falls ill-

If a worker develops a high temperature or a persistent cough whilst at work, they should:- l Maintain the social distancing rules at all times. l Notify their supervisor or line manager. l Return home immediately. l Avoid touching anything. l Cough or sneeze into a tissue and put into a bin. If they do not have tissues they should cough or sneeze into the crook of their elbow. l Seek guidance from England: NHS 111 online coronavirus service; Scotland: NHS inform; Wales: NHS Direct Wales; Northern Ireland: call your doctor’s surgery. l Call 999 if they have a serious or life-threatening emergency and should tell the call adviser if they have COVID-19 symptoms. l Not attend a GP surgery or public places, to help reduce the spread of the disease. They must then follow Government guidance on self-isolation. Persons who develop COVID-19 symptoms must immediately self-isolate, along with other members of their household or support bubble, as detailed above. They should then order a test kit from www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or, if they do not have internet access, call 119 (0300 303 2713 in Scotland). A test and trace system has been introduced by the NHS to help control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the infection and save lives. An NHS COVID-19 free mobile phone app is now available for individuals to download. This provides the fastest method of alerting people who may be at risk. Persons who test positive will be contacted by the system to ask them to share information promptly about recent contacts to help them alert other people who may also need to self-isolate. Fellow workers who have been within close contact should then be contacted by the test and trace system. The system will then get in touch with people who may have been at risk of contracting the virus to tell them that they are required to isolate for 10 days. This isolation should happen whether the person is ill or not. Employers should keep a record of their employees and shift patterns and any visitors to site. This will assist the NHS test and trace service if any data is needed and will help contain clusters or outbreaks of the disease. Employers should maintain contact with any employees who have exhibited COVID-19 symptoms. If more than one case is confirmed by employees or by the test and trace system within 14 days employers/sites will need to contact their local Public Health England protection team who will then advise of any further actions necessary.

Site meetings-

Only meetings which are vital to the safe and efficient running of the site should be held and only essential participants should attend. Where possible these should be ‘virtual’ meetings (held via Zoom or Skype etc). Where ‘face-to-face’ meetings are considered essential:- l Seating must be arranged so that attendees can sit at least 2.0m apart or 1.0m with risk mitigation where 2.0m is not viable. l Rooms should be well ventilated, with windows open to allow fresh air circulation where possible. l The duration of meetings should be as short as possible. l Consideration should be given to holding them outside where feasible. Where the attendance at meetings or job safety briefings needs to be recorded, participants should provide their own pens and signatures taken whilst still maintaining social distancing, or an alternative ‘distance compliant’ means of logging attendees implemented.

PPE-

In addition to PPE selected for use in typical scaffolding operations, an assessment should be made to determine if additional equipment is required to provide protection against the hazards associated with the transmission of COVID-19. PPE, including respiratory protective equipment (RPE) must always be considered as a ‘last resort’, as any failure or incorrect use directly exposes the wearer to the hazard. Other controls, such as social distancing, enhanced cleaning and personal hygiene, must always be implemented and enforced in preference to reliance on PPE. However, if your risk assessment indicates that additional PPE is required to mitigate the risk of infection, then it must be provided to all workers who need it and it must fit properly. Provided that other controls, as mentioned above, have been implemented it should not be necessary to use RPE. However, if a previous risk assessment has indicated that workers would be expected to wear respiratory protection as part of their normal job, then they should continue to do so. Suitable gloves, which afford adequate hand protection for operatives, should be worn at all times when on site. They should be disposed of, in designated bins, at intervals deemed to ensure suitable protection or when showing signs of wear or damage, where skin may be exposed. To be effective gloves need to be used in conjunction with good hygiene measures, and good ‘glove discipline’. For example, if an employee stops work to eat/drink/smoke, the basic process should be gloves off, wash hands thoroughly, eat/drink/smoke, wash hands again, put gloves back on. Single-use PPE should be disposed of so that it cannot be re-used. Whilst there is growing evidence that the wearing of face coverings in an enclosed space may help to protect individuals and those around them against COVID-19, they cannot be considered as RPE (which is used to protect workers against harmful dust and fumes). They are not manufactured to a recognised standard and must never be considered as a replacement for other more effective ways of managing the risk of COVID-19 infection, as described throughout this document.

Where workers on site are not required to wear RPE and their workplace (which may include welfare and changing facilities, site offices or site meeting rooms) meets the criteria below, their employer should make face coverings available and they should be worn in:- l An enclosed space. l Where social distancing isn’t always possible. l Where they come into contact with others they do not normally meet. In line with Government guidance on premises providing hospitality, face coverings must also be worn in canteens, except when seated at a table to eat or drink. Where face coverings are made available to workers to supplement existing control measures, employers should ensure that they are used safely and provide the following guidance to all wearers:- l Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water or hand sanitiser for at least 20 seconds, before putting on a face covering and before and after removing it. l When wearing a face covering, they should avoid touching their face or face covering, as this could contaminate it with germs from the hands. l Face coverings should be changed if they become damp or if they have been touched. l Wearers should continue to wash their hands regularly. l Face coverings should be changed or washed regularly and at least daily. l If the material is washable, face coverings should be washed in line with manufacturer’s instructions. If they are not washable, they should be carefully disposed of in the usual waste bins. l Whilst wearing a face covering, social distancing should still be maintained wherever possible. It should also be noted that face coverings may inhibit communication with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound.