Businesses urged to prepare for return to workplace

Thursday 30 April 2020

Local health and safety specialists are urging businesses to complete a series of simple yet essential checks before employees return to work when lockdown eases.

Law at Work (LAW) has created a checklist for businesses, including a number of physical checks that need to be carried out before premises are re-opened after a month of staff working from home.

These include premises inspection and the identification of outstanding, reactive and planned maintenance; statutory inspections of plant and assets; assessing risks of possible sources of contamination of the water supply that may present a risk of exposure to legionella bacteria; hygiene issues including handwashing; and enhanced cleaning regimes.

Further measures directly affecting the health and wellbeing of employees should also be considered.

Pictured: Matt Bougourd, Associate Director - Health and Safety at LAW.

“Although there are still at least two weeks of lockdown to go before we expect to see any changes, many are looking ahead to when the island can begin the process of re-occupying workplaces and returning to normal," Matt Bougourd, Associate Director of Health and Safety at LAW, said.

"We will be referring to the advice given by the Government of Jersey, but employers need to start thinking about putting risk assessments and control measures in place to protect their staff before they open the doors. 

"Practical measures such as testing all essential power supplies, emergency alarm systems, evacuation systems, and carrying out water flushing and water temperature checks of hot water storage cylinders and tanks should be carried out. 

"Above all, they must ensure any remaining Government controls can be complied with.”