Continuity Planning?
Pondering again to Monday 16th March 2020 I keep 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 go away the home when an e mail landed from a senior Director telling us all to ‘Maintain’ all visits and be prepared for a convention name that morning. Sure, this was the beginning of the ‘Lock Down’. With the good thing about hindsight, how prepared have been we for what was about to occur subsequent?
Our administration group has already undertaken varied strategic planning workout routines. On the 16th March, a ”strategic govt group” was established and a planning and response process produced – that is nonetheless a dwell doc.
Workplace based mostly employees have been then requested to make money working from home. Inside just a few days we acquired experiences {that a} member of employees based mostly at dwelling had hit their head on a shelf. Possibly time for a DSE evaluation maybe? ‘We may 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 could 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 ought to be classed as a necessary go to and determined the easiest way ahead can be to attenuate the ”actions” undertaken by the engineer inside every dwelling. We determined to allocate an space/lounge for the engineer to work in and all tools can be dropped at them, checked and put again in situ. This may keep social distancing measures and decrease the chance of cross contamination points inside the dwelling.
By way of House working, the Well being and Security group have developed a 2 web page self-assessment which now combines DSE, lone working and fireplace security. It is simpler to make use of in its present kind and way more streamlined.
Laundry – we’ve got reviewed our procedures and produced a Customary Working Process (SOP) to assist tackle issues referring to contaminated objects
Cleansing – Provide points meant we wanted to work rapidly to supply totally different sanitizers and undertake new COSHH danger assessments which at the moment are in place.
By way of cleansing rooms with confirmed or suspected Covid -19 A Customary working process was additionally produced.
Sustaining fireplace security is a crucial situation for all care suppliers at the moment. We had numerous properties with on-going enchancment plans in place which were recognized in a Fireplace Danger Evaluation. To assist decrease the onsite visits to the properties by contractors, the group carried out a assessment of all dwell/ongoing fireplace danger evaluation actions. Every motion was assigned a RAG (pink, amber or inexperienced) ranking. This helped us to determine any works classed as important (security vital). Contractors will now solely be permitted to attend websites to finish the remedial works the place the works are deemed Security vital.
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 did develop Covid-19, how would we all know it was because of office publicity? We now have since developed a screening questionnaire, to assist determine when a report is actually vital
Fireplace & Rescue Providers have been beginning to contact us each by way of the H&S Workforce and regionally on to our properties. Completely different ranges of issues have been raised by totally different Fireplace & Rescue Providers concerning their deliberate response to 999 calls. They have been conscious of the dangers related to Covid 19. The hearth service needed to make sure the security of their crew. They’d need to know the variety of optimistic Covid-19 instances and in addition suspected instances earlier than they have been in a position to reply. We now have agreed working protocols in such an occasion that keep security for all.
Lastly, we’re opening numerous new construct properties which we’d examine and help with the registration/opening. We agreed that such inspections may very well be undertaken remotely with help occurring nearly.
The previous few weeks have been actually difficult. Instances are certainly unprecedented. We now have been offered with numerous questions that we did not instantly have a solution to. At occasions we’ve got been requested to make the unattainable, attainable. What mattered then was that we have been decided to discover a resolution, which made sense and ensured some type of enterprise continuity.
Now trying ahead, I am positive there shall be a complete host of latest challenges and in addition new questions. We’ll proceed to supply the help and recommendation as and when it’s wanted as we’ve got at all times completed earlier than and we’ll try to develop into much more ”resolution centered” alongside the way in which
Seemingly there are solutions to most questions, however solely in case you are 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).