Employee News 2021, Issue 60 - COVID-19 Latest Update on Testing

Further guidance has been issued by Scottish Government that has re-emphasised the importance of testing as a key measure to protect us from the continuing spread of COVID-19 and in particular the Omicron variant.

The additional information in this latest update is that, as well as the regular testing we are encouraged to carry out at home each week, employees who are visiting people’s homes to carry out their duties should take a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test before they attend. The detail of this latest update, which is part of the safer businesses and workplaces guidance, is available on the Scottish Government website and is also copied below this Employee News.

A number of our services are required to visit people's homes to carry out their duties and Lateral Flow test kits are available to employees from our Community Testing Centre at the War Memorial Hall in Bishopbriggs and also from Broomhill Depot. Please speak to your line manager in the first instance regarding the availability of test kits.

We will continue to keep you updated as and when further guidance is issued and in the meantime encourage you to follow all workplace guidance to ensure we keep ourselves and our families safe and well.

Thank you

Ann Davie
Depute Chief Executive

Extract from latest Scottish Government Guidance:

Working in other people’s homes	When working in other people’s homes, it is still important to take actions and implement measures to limit the risk of transmission of the virus. This is important for limiting the risk to yourself/your employees, but also the risk to those living in the house where the work is taking place. before entering other people’s home, workers should undertake a LFD test on the day, prior to attendance; householders should also undertake a LFD test on the day, prior to the visit. We are encouraging householders, particularly those on the High Risk List, to ask people who are working in their home to take an LFD test first; if anyone in the house is self-isolating, staff should not enter unless the work required is essential/an emergency; as with any workplace, risk assessments are important in identifying risks and how they can be controlled. Even if self-employed or an individual contractor, you should undertake a risk assessment for working in someone else’s home that covers Covid; staff should wear a face covering, especially when moving through the home or engaging with any of the householders. They may want to ask members of the household to wear a face covering when engaging, though it should be remembered that not everyone is able to wear one; ventilation of the workspace/ home should be maximised to allow circulation of fresh air; workers should try to keep a reasonable distance from individuals in the household; when travelling to/from the work location, consider the relevant guidance. If you employ individuals who are required to work in other people’s homes, you should continue to work with these individuals, or their representatives, on health and safety matters.

Working in other people’s homes

When working in other people’s homes, it is still important to take actions and implement measures to limit the risk of transmission of the virus. This is important for limiting the risk to yourself/your employees, but also the risk to those living in the house where the work is taking place.

before entering other people’s home, workers should undertake a LFD test on the day, prior to attendance;
householders should also undertake a LFD test on the day, prior to the visit. We are encouraging householders, particularly those on the High Risk List, to ask people who are working in their home to take an LFD test first;
if anyone in the house is self-isolating, staff should not enter unless the work required is essential/an emergency;
as with any workplace, risk assessments are important in identifying risks and how they can be controlled. Even if self-employed or an individual contractor, you should undertake a risk assessment for working in someone else’s home that covers Covid;
staff should wear a face covering, especially when moving through the home or engaging with any of the householders. They may want to ask members of the household to wear a face covering when engaging, though it should be remembered that not everyone is able to wear one;
ventilation of the workspace/ home should be maximised to allow circulation of fresh air;
workers should try to keep a reasonable distance from individuals in the household;
when travelling to/from the work location, consider the relevant guidance.

If you employ individuals who are required to work in other people’s homes, you should continue to work with these individuals, or their representatives, on health and safety matters.