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WEB COVID SECURE Working in Old Town Hall June 2020 V2.docx of 14

WORKING IN OLD TOWN HALL ‘COVID Secure’ Workplace Risk Assessment

INTRODUCTION

‘COVID Secure’ is a phrase established by the UK government to give reassurance to employees that their employer has made their work operations as safe as possible for when they return to work. UNISON has set 5 key points to implementing COVID Secure working practices:

1. Work from home, if you can 2. Carry out COVID-19 risk assessment in consultation with workers and unions 3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible 4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk 5. Reinforcing cleaning processes

CARE-SHARE-AWARE: at Lewisham Homes we care about our employees, we are sharing this risk assessment internally and externally on our website to ensure our employees are aware of the measures we have taken to meet the 5 principles above.

In summary:

1. Work from home – as many Lewisham Homes staff as possible to work from home 2. Carry out COVID-19 risk assessment in consultation with workers and trade unions –

this risk assessment and a suite of task/role specific risk assessments address COVID-19 and are available on the intranet

3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible – signage, floor markings, decommissioned equipment/desks and restrictions in Old Town Hall direct staff to maintain 2m distance

4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk – less than 2m contact MUST be restricted to 15 minutes maximum

5. Reinforcing cleaning processes – full time cleaning of OTH during office hours

Directorate: All Reference No: RA-ALL-Covid19-RTW-OTH

Team: All Name of assessor: Strategic Health and Safety

Date: 11 June 2020 Review by: Eric Richardson, Strategic Head of H&S

Granting permission to work in Old Town Hall can only be given by a Head of Service or Director. Sanctioning someone to return to work in Old Town Hall can only be based on one or more of the following extenuating circumstances/risks to the individual: physical health, mental health, family relationship breakdown or not practicable to deliver the workload.

Staff who are extremely vulnerable will not be expected to return to normal working until it is assessed as safe for them to do so (Appendix 5)

Risk Assessment for Returning to work at Old Town Hall in small numbers

RELEVANCE: All staff working in Old Town Hall (OTH).

KEY TASKS: - Staff intermingling with others in OTH - Handling equipment and furniture in OTH - Interface with residents/others at OTH

KEY HAZARDS: - Lack of social distancing - Exposure to the virus - Transmitting the virus

- Lack of surface cleaning - Lack of frequent personal hygiene

- Key task refresher training (due to lack of practice)

KEY PRECAUTIONS: - Restricting numbers of staff in OTH - Enforcing social distancing in OTH

- Increased cleaning - Hand washing and sanitising agents

- Transmission barriers in OTH Reception/interview rooms


RISK MATRIX

The hazards you identify should be assigned a risk rating. The risk rating can be evaluated by:

This should be assigned for any control measures that are currently in place and any further control measures that will be required.

- Evaluating the LIKELIHOOD of the hazardous event occurring - Assign a value for the likelihood of an incident occurring based on the hazard from 1 to 5

- Evaluating the most likely level of SEVERITY of the outcome

- Multiplying these together to get the RISK RATING - Assign a value for the severity / impact of the hazard from 1 to 5.

- Set a TIMESCALE FOR ACTION - These should then be multiplied together to give a final risk rating e.g. 3 x 2 = 6

In deciding the LIKELIHOOD, the table below may help:

LIKELIHOOD OF

EXPOSURE TO

HAZARD

SCORE

DESCRIPTOR

EXPECTED

SCORE

Once or more a month Almost certain 5

Once every 2-6 months Likely 4

Once every 6-12 months Possible 3

Once every 12-24

months Unlikely 2

Once every 2+ years Rare 1

In deciding the SEVERITY, the table below may help:

SEVERITY OF EXPOSURE TO

HAZARD

SCORE

DESCRIPTOR

EXPECTED

SCORE

Death Catastrophic 5

Permanent disability Major 4

Temporary disability (or more than 7 days lost)

Serious 3

Minor injury, (first aid needed, less than 7 days’ time lost)

Moderate 2

Minimal injuries (no work time lost, slight cuts, bruises, etc.)

Insignificant 1

After deciding the risk rating you will need to set a

TIMESCALE FOR ACTION Calculating the RISK RATING


Risk Assessment:

Item Description of Hazard and Risks

Person(s) at risk

Gross risk rating

Current control measures in place

read the Appendices for guidance

Net risk rating

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Seve

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Risk R

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Likelih

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Seve

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Risk R

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1 STAFF WELLBEING/EXPOSURE HAZARD: - Exposure to coronavirus - Changing/conflicting advice - Fake news

RISKS: - Staff working unsafely leading to

exposure to coronavirus - Staff worried to return to work

All staff 3 5 15 STAFF INSTRUCTED TO WORK FROM HOME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE AND OFFICE/RECEPTION TO REMAIN CLOSED TO RESIDENTS/PUBLIC. - CEO regular video and email briefings delivered to all staff

with instructing that as many staff as possible continue to work from home.

- Regular Covid-19 Operational Group meetings with senior management to agree Office/Reception closure and consistent procedures.

- Dedicated Coronavirus Tab on BOB with information and guidance for all staff.

- Regular updates provided to staff on Bob and in the weekly In Focus email bulletin.

- Strategic Head of Health and Safety emails to all staff with information updates.

- In-house Occupational Health and Wellbeing Manager providing advice and support for staff individually and collectively.

- Managers/Strategic Health and Safety available to discuss with staff their concerns.

- Consultation with Unions to agree principles/procedures.

1 5 5

2 SHIELDING EXTREMELY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS Hazards: Underlying health conditions increase the risk if they become infected with the virus Risks: More severe symptoms increasing the death risk level for the individual

Individuals who have been told by their GP or have received a letter informing them that they are in this category

5 5 25 SHIELDING

- Extremely vulnerable individuals instructed by the Government and LH to remain at home (Appendix 5).

2 5 10


3 VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS Hazards: Underlying health conditions increase the risk if they become infected with the virus

Risks: More severe symptoms increasing the death risk level for the individual

Individuals: With underlying health condition, e.g. asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis (MS). With weakened immune system as a result of medicines such as steroids or chemotherapy. Who are pregnant. Who are aged 70 or over. Who are seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)

4 5 20 SAFEGUARDING

- Vulnerable individuals advised to take extra care in observing social distancing and should be helped to work from home, either in their current role or in an alternative role (Appendix 5).

1 5 5

4 LACK OF SOCIAL DISTANCING HAZARD: - Not maintaining 2m social

distancing - Difficulty in maintaining 2m

social distancing (space, environment, action of others)

RISKS: - Exposure to coronavirus - Mild to serious flu-like

respiratory illness, including serious lung ill-health and death

- Infecting others

All staff

Residents

Members of the public

Contractors

4 5 15 GOVERNMENT ADVICE FOR TRAVELLING, ISSUED TO ALL STAFF. GOVERNMENT AND HSE ADVICE ON CREATING A COVID-19 SECURE WORKPLACE FOLLOWED. Travel to work: - Staff advised to follow current Government/Transport advice

Travel for work (see also Appendices 1-3): - Consider all other forms of transport (e.g. cycling, walking,

driving) prior to choosing public transport. Spend least time possible on public transport (e.g. walk to next station, get off one or two stops early).

- Maintain 2m distance from others, avoid hard contact surfaces if possible, avoid peak travel times if possible, take a less busy route, make fewest changes possible, wait for passengers to disembark before embarking, face forwards and avoid conversation.

- Buy tickets online if possible, if purchasing close to point of use pay electronically/by card if possible.

- Wear a face covering, washing hands before putting on and taking off. Keep face coverings clean. Avoid touching face. If coughing or sneezing cough into crook of elbow, or a tissue. Then bin the tissue securely. Avoiding eating and drinking on public transport. Wash hands and/or sanitise them as soon as possible after disembarking.

1 5 5


- Avoid using lifts in any environment where practicable. Otherwise, maintain 2m – do not enter an occupied lift.

- When pressing buttons, e.g. for road crossings, train station lifts, use pen/pencil, elbows or knuckles if possible.

- Advice has been issued to staff to follow current Government advice. This includes using own means of transport (including cycling and walking) if possible. Sanitise shared vehicles including pool car. If using the pool car, sanitise it in accordance with Appendix 1

- When travelling in the same vehicle as other colleagues, refer to Appendix 2

- If using public transport refer to Appendix 3

Old Town Hall (see also Appendix 4): - Facilities and Strategic Health and Safety establishing traffic-

management/people distancing measures within OTH prior to some staff returning to work.

- Numbers using communal spaces such as toilets, kitchen areas, controlled and limited to maintain distancing.

- Staff advised to maintain 2m distancing when circulating within the building, taking breaks and when at desks.

- Managers consider staggering hours/flexible working to reduce numbers travelling in peak times and overcrowding working areas.

- If two or more staff need to work together: - keep the same people together, establish cohorts and as

much as possible do not rotate individuals, - work back-to-back or side-to-side (rather than face-to-

face), - if the above cannot be achieved contact the Strategic

Health and Safety Team for advice. - Staff to bring own food / drinks to work to avoid risk of

additional contact going out of OTH to get food/drink. - In an emergency, for example, an accident or fire, people do

not have to stay 2m apart if it would be unsafe or impede evacuation.

- People involved in the provision of assistance to others (i.e. first aiders, security etc.) provided with PPE and guidance in paying particular attention to sanitation measures immediately afterwards, including washing hands.

mailto:[email protected]?subject=COVID-19%20Advice%20Required

mailto:[email protected]?subject=COVID-19%20Advice%20Required


- Consider in advance that there may be delays in Emergency Services responding to any accident, delay hazardous activities and ensure that additional precautions are considered in advance.

Meetings with staff: - Avoid congregating, e.g. in car park, during rest breaks. - Face-to-face meetings are discouraged. Virtual conferencing

programmes are strongly advised. - Hold essential face-to-face meetings outdoors or in well-

ventilated areas wherever possible. - Socially distance, leaving gaps between attendees. - Don’t sit opposite each other. - Don’t share items, such as pens, phones, staplers, headsets

etc. without sanitising before and after. Meetings with residents/others:

- Reception to remain closed until further notice. - Staff to conduct business with resident(s)/contractors on the

phone/email as much as possible. - Meetings to be conducted digitally wherever practicable.

5 LACK OF FREQUENT PERSONAL HYGIENE Hazard: - Spreading the virus by not

catching it, killing it and binning it, contaminating individuals directly or contaminating surfaces

- Touching a contaminated surface before touching face and thereby contracting C-19

Risks: - Becoming infected - Mild to serious flu-like


- Infecting others

All staff

Residents


Contractors

4 5 20 REPEATED MESSAGING AND RESOURCE AVAILABILITY

- Posters displayed throughout Old Town Hall to remind staff to wash hands frequently for a minimum of 20 seconds.

- Hygiene reminders featured as a strapline to LH emails (internal and external).

- Regular updates using intranet and website to reinforce the need for good hygiene.

- Packets of disinfecting wipes issued to vehicle users. - Hand sanitisers issued to off-site staff.

1 5 5


6 CONTAMINATED SURFACES Hazard: Virus can survive on a hard surface for 72 hours. Anyone touching the contaminated surface with their hand can infect themselves by touching their face or move the contamination to another surface increasing the risk Risks: - Becoming infected - Mild to serious flu-like


- Infecting others

All staff

Residents


Contractors

4 5 20 CLEANING AND RESOURCE AVAILABILITY

- Increased cleaning regimes at Old Town Hall especially of touch points.

- Cleaning wipes supplied to staff. - Sanitising stations present on all floors at the Old Town Hall. - Cleaning wipes and guidance supplied to staff that drive

Fleet vehicles or the pool car. - Staff advised not to share objects with others and to clean

the surfaces they touch with cleaning wipes.

1 5 5


Person(s) completing this assessment:

Name Eric Richardson Title Strategic Head of Health & Safety Signature Date 11 June 2020

Other person(s) commenting on this assessment (Line Manager or Supervisor responsible for the activity, others involved in the decision-making process, others advising on the activity e.g. Health & Safety Manager, Health & Safety Local Officer)

Name Sheila Keogh Title Health & Safety Manager Signature Date 11 June 2020

Name Brian Eldridge Title Health & Safety Advisor Signature Date 11 June 2020

Name Title Signature Date

Review of assessment, and revision if necessary

REVIEW DATE --/--/---- --/--/---- --/--/---- --/--/----

Name of reviewer

Signature

Changes to activity, hazards, precautions or risks noted in text.

If no revisions needed confirm within the relevant box by adding NRN


Appendix 1

Vehicle Sanitisation Process

Equipment issued: - wipes or spray

- kitchen towel or blue roll, etc. if using spray

- bags to place used wipes or paper towels, to prevent cross-contamination and accumulation of waste in the vehicles.

- face shields (for passengers) - drivers and passengers to use face coverings.

The following areas are to be cleaned using cleansing wipes/hand sanitiser before and after each use:

face shields

door handles (car exterior and interior, and boot and bonnet)

steering wheel

dash board

dashboard-mounted (or other-mounted) ‘sticks’ that control indicators/window washers/lights etc.

window-control buttons

near-seat storage pots (e.g. for cups)

radio buttons/controls

gear stick

glove box

chair adjustment buttons/levels

seats, seat backs, head rest adjustments

rear view mirror housing and attachment stalk

the keys, key fob, key ring and chain

There may be other areas not listed above. The petrol flap/cap, dip stick, radiator cap etc. need to be kept clean also, but we suggest using washing up liquid and water.

Wash face coverings frequently.


Appendix 2 Use of face shields

The principle of social distancing must still be followed. Vehicles may now carry the number of people they’re designed for (e.g. for Environment that’s 2-6 people including driver) on the basis of the following safe working system (SWS):

Named driver to be in charge of the safe working system

Face shields will be issued to the vehicle driver as appropriate to the number of passengers that may be carried

Passengers must wear face shields

Drivers to wear face coverings but not face shields

Driver and passengers to wear face coverings

Each driver is responsible to ensure the face shields are sanitised after use and before use where advised in the job role risk assessment (e.g. for ILO visits)

All vehicle occupants to avoid personal contact as far as practicable

All vehicle occupants to face forward – except for driver in order to perform vehicle manoeuvres.

Driver to reinforce personal hygiene and no smoking rules.

Advise occupants to open windows when appropriate

Driver to ensure all touch points are wiped down with a hard surface sanitiser after each journey (see Appendix 1)

Wash face coverings frequently.


Appendix 3 Travelling on public transport Travel for work: - Consider all other forms of transport (i.e. cycling, walking, driving, motorbike) prior to choosing public

transport. - Spend the least time possible on public transport (e.g. walk to next bus or train stop/station, get off one or two

stops/stations early and walk or cycle (e.g. London bike share schemes ‘Santander Cycles’). - Maintain 2m distance from others, - Avoid hand contact surfaces if possible, - Avoid peak travel times if possible, - Take a less busy route, - Make fewest changes possible, - Wait for passengers to disembark before embarking, - Buy tickets online if possible, if purchasing close to point of use pay electronically/by card if possible. - Wash hands and/or sanitise them as soon as possible after disembarking. - Government now requires travellers to wear a face covering - wash hands before putting on and taking off. - Keep face coverings clean. - Avoid touching face. - If coughing or sneezing cough into crook of elbow, or a tissue. Then bin the tissue securely. - Avoiding eating and drinking on public transport. - Avoid using lifts in any environment. Maintain 2m – don’t enter an occupied lift. - When pressing buttons, e.g. for road crossings, train station lifts, use elbows or knuckles if possible. - Sanitise shared vehicles including pool car, ref. Appendix 1 - When travelling in the same vehicle as other colleagues, refer to Appendix 2


Appendix 4 COVID-19 Secure Workplace – Old Town Hall Requirements: Who should return to Old Town Hall?

- Everyone in the business who can work from home safely and healthily must continue to do so; - Working from home – complete Home Working DSE Assessment on My Learning to help us ensure you’re

provided with equipment needed to work safely and effectively at home; - Managers to keep in regular contact with people working from home, making sure they discuss their

wellbeing and helping them to feel they are still part of the workforce; - Only deploy the minimum number of people needed to carry out work tasks safely.

Protecting people who are at higher risk

- Managers must identify and plan for clinically extremely vulnerable (shielding) staff who must not work outside the home;

- Managers must identify and plan for people working at home who have someone shielding in their household;

- Allowing staff at increased risk to work from home, either in their current role or an alternative role; - Where staff at increased risk cannot work from home, offer them the safest available roles; - As Test and Trace takes place, plan for staff who need to self-isolate by virtue of them being identified as a

‘contact’ of someone with COVID-19. Distancing

- Where it is not possible to work from home, the guidance on social distancing must be followed. - Identify staff who can travel alone in their own transport (or walk, or cycle if it is safe to do so) when

travelling for work purposes in order to maintain social distancing; - Managers should consider staggering arrival and departure times at OTH so staff can keep to the 2m social

distancing rules by not using entry/exit points at the same time; - Lewisham Homes will provide handwashing facilities (running water, soap and paper towels) and sanitising

stations at entry/exit points. - Where possible, Lewisham Homes will organise the Old Town Hall workplace area so that staff can remain

2m apart, including: o physically arranging work areas to keep staff 2m apart; o marking areas using floor markings, signage and/or tape to keep staff 2m apart; o introducing temporary pedestrian walkways to allow staff to maintain social distancing when

moving around; o restricting toilets to ‘one-out-one-in’;

Granting permission to work in Old Town Hall can only be given by a Head of Service or Director.

Sanctioning someone to return to work in Old Town Hall can ONLY

be based on one or more of the following extenuating circumstances/risks to the individual:

physical health, mental health, family relationship breakdown or not practicable to deliver the workload.


o closing breakout areas to avoid congregating at lunch and break times – staff to take their lunch at their desks;

o consider providing rest areas in the open air; o encouraging staff to limit their use of lifts; o restrict availability of communal equipment such as printers to limit number of surfaces becoming

contaminated. - Signage will be displayed to remind staff to keep a 2m distance; - Managers must avoid staff working face-to-face, for example working side-by-side; - Where staff cannot keep a 2m physical distance, Managers should consider:

o assigning one staff per work area; o reducing the number of staff in the work area; o assigning and keeping staff to work teams (known as a cohort), to limit social interaction; o keeping the number of staff working less than 2m apart to a minimum; o using screens to create a physical barrier between staff; o limiting working within 2m to a maximum of 15 minutes with supervisors enforcing the time limit; o issue PPE and guidance to first aiders who will need to treat casualties at close quarters.

Hygiene and Cleanliness

- Staff will be reminded, using signs and posters, to frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;

- Clear guidance and an induction back to OTH will be provided: o for the use and cleaning of kitchen areas, toilets, showers, and changing facilities to make sure they

are kept clean; o as regular reminders on avoiding touching face and to cough/sneeze into a tissue or arm; o on how to handle goods, merchandise and materials and when cleaning procedures need to be

followed. - The work area needs to be kept clean to prevent transmission by touching contaminated surfaces which

will be achieved by: o increasing the frequency of office cleaning, identifying objects and surfaces that are touched

regularly and include in the heightened cleaning regime; o providing sanitising stations with wipes/spray for staff to clean equipment and vehicles after each

use; o providing hand sanitiser for staff getting in and out of vehicles or handling tools/equipment, if they

are unable to wash their hands; o providing sanitising stations in key places such as toilets, lifts etc.

Information and Guidance

- Updates, information and guidance will be provided to staff utilising all media options available.


Appendix 5 Shielded and Vulnerable Workers Managers have a duty to shield those most at risk. This includes:

- have had an organ transplant - are having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapy - are having an intense course of radiotherapy for lung cancer - are having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system have blood or bone marrow

cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma) - have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking

immunosuppressant medicine - have been told by a doctor they you have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or

severe COPD) - have a condition that means they have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell) - are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids) - were born with a serious heart condition and are pregnant

Managers should consider additional measures to protect vulnerable staff who:

- are 70 or older - are pregnant - have a lung condition that's not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis) - have heart disease (such as heart failure) - have diabetes - have chronic kidney disease - have liver disease (such as hepatitis) - have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone

disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy) - have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections - are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids) - are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)

Vulnerable staff should work from home where practicable

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