Employee News 2020, Issue 73 - Covid-19 Employee Reminder – Keeping Safe in the Workplace

A risk assessment has been carried out for all frontline services that are currently being delivered.  The risk assessment confirms the appropriate PPE required to carry out each role.  Please ensure that you correctly use the PPE identified for your role.

Step Back – Remember 2m distancing

Step back applies to our schools, our Council workplaces and to all employees when they are out delivering their service.  Physical distancing of 2m is a key element of controlling the spread of Covid-19.

 If in doubt, step back to be sure.

Posters are being rolled out to our schools from next week to remind all those in schools of the importance of this measure.

Meetings

Keep meetings virtual through the use of Microsoft Teams wherever possible across the school and corporate estate.  If face to face meetings are absolutely essential, physical distancing of 2m must be observed at all times.  Please do not just ‘guess’ a 2m distance – if in doubt, measure it out to keep you and your colleagues safe.

Close contacts and Isolation

Test & Protect is the Public Health and Scottish Government approach to identifying close contacts and therefore determining who should isolate in addition to those who have received a positive Covid-19 test result.

The Council also has a robust approach to identifying close contacts in the workplace once notified of a positive test and in advance of confirmation through Test & Protect.

If you have a positive Covid-19 test result, you should advise your line manager immediately, so that the Council’s approach can be implemented.  Test & Protect should contact you to identify close contacts.

If you are concerned that you may be a close contact of someone who has a positive Covid-19 test, you can discuss this with your line manager and the HR Team for further advice prior to any contact from Test & Protect.

Travel to and from work

There is clear guidance available in relation to travelling.

Public Transport:  The current additional restrictions ask us to avoid public transport if possible, and only to use public transport to travel to and from work if there is no alternative.

Car sharing:  Car sharing with anyone other than a member of your household is not permitted at any time.  No-one should share a car with another person either on their way to and from the workplace or when carrying out their duties during the working day.

Face Coverings

In addition to the identification and provision of PPE for service delivery in accordance with risk assessments, there is specific guidance on the use of face coverings:

Schools:  In secondary schools, face coverings must be worn by adults and all pupils moving around the school, such as in corridors and communal areas where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.  Students from S4 – S7 must also wear face coverings in class as must teachers teaching classes from S4 – S7.  Where adults cannot keep 2m distance and are interacting face-to-face for a sustained period (about 15 minutes or more), face coverings should also be worn.  Signage is on display as a reminder.

School Transport:  On dedicated school transport all children aged five and over, must wear a face covering, in line with guidance for public transport.

Other Council Workplaces:  Anyone attending any of our workplaces must wear a face covering in communal areas, including corridors and stairwells, canteens, kitchen areas and break out rooms and when moving around our smart working areas.  Additional signs have been produced for our workplaces to remind you of these requirements, and are on display in all the relevant areas.  You must ensure that you have a face covering with you and that you wear it in the required areas when attending.  Please see information above in relation to meetings.

Maximum Capacity for Communal Areas

In schools and other Council work places with communal areas such as meeting rooms, break out areas, kitchen areas and staff rooms, maximum capacities for these areas have been identified through risk assessment and must be adhered to at all times.  The maximum capacity will be on display for each area, and any desks, chairs, tables etc that have been identified as not in use to maintain physical distancing should not be used.  Please observe 2m distancing at all times.