AJW Covid-19 Policies – Updated 27.07.2021
As a business we are working constantly to ensure we abide by all government guidelines to offer our staff a safe and secure place of work. All of our guidelines are taken from the government website https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
There are various ways we will continue to ensure that we keep all employees as safe as possible
- All trade counter screens will stay in place for the foreseeable future
- Cleaning regimes are in place at all depots with extra cleaning when needed
- We promote physical distancing at all times
- Work from home where possible
- Signage throughout all depots
- Masks available when needed
- Antibacterial gel and wipes available within all depots and for all lorries and forklifts
Although the country is slowly coming out of lock-down as a business we are seeing more and more cases of Covid. It is extremely important we continue to work together to ensure the safety of everyone, including colleagues, loved ones and our customers.
Due to the on-going Covid situation we would like for everyone to continue to stick the rules outlined by the government. Although masks have been made non-mandatory we would like you to use your own initiative. If you have an outbreak of Covid in your depot and people are off due to Covid then keep wearing your mask. If you are working within close proximity to someone or are just speaking with a colleague of a member of staff then please wear a mask.
If you have any questons about Corona Virus or are showing any symptoms then you must contact Charlotte Woods to discuss the best thing to do, if you are not able to speak with her then please speak with Ada Cambridge. Charlotte and Ada are the company representatives for Covid and will be able to answer any questions you might have. They can also advice you of the next steps to do if someone in the depot does have Covid, they will be able to give you the correct advice straight away and we can deal with any situation quickly and effectively without too much panic.
Charlotte Woods : 07752 520867 / Adrian Cambridge : 07495 977292
As part of the step 4 of the Governments COVID-19 roadmap, double vaccinated people will no longer be legally required to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case. These new rules come into play from 16th August.
Double vaccinated individuals identified as close contacts will continue to be advised to take a PCR test, to detect the virus and variants of concern. Anyone who tests positive following the PCT test will still be legally required to self-isolate, irrespective of their vaccination status.
To enable the company to be able to put this new step into practice we would like to request to receive a copy of everyone’s vaccination card. Please send this over to charlotte via email or text.
Keeping yourself safe at work – Recommendations
We have put a lot into place at each depot to aim to keep you all safe but you must all take responsibility for your depots to ensure the safety of yourself and your colleagues.
- Workstations must be at least 1.5 / 2 metres away from each other. We can provide screens for any staff who would feel safer with a screen to protect them further.
- Ensure you keep your distance from everyone in your depot and stay apart at least 2 metres.
- Communal areas to be used by one person at any one time. Ensure that you clean all items used including surfaces once you have finished. Kettles, sink, taps etc.
- Ensure all workstations are cleaned at the start and end of your working day. This includes phones, computers, PDQ machines etc.
- Ensure all door handles, fork lift trucks, toilets doors etc are cleaned at the start and end of your working day. Allocate a toilet per person if this is possible in the depot.
- All Fork lift trucks and lorries must be cleaned during the day especially if it is being shared by a number of staff. Ensure wipes are kept on the fork lift at all times.
- Face masks must be worn by all staff who are working directly in-front of a customer or visitor for example the yard staff whilst loading, drivers whilst visiting sites and all staff whilst in the trade counter area must wear a mask.
- All staff must wear a mask unless sat at their desk or working in the yard. This includes moving around the depot, using the toilet, kitchen, walking through the office and so forth. This is company policy and must be adhered to with no excuses unless you are medically exempt which we would ask you to provide us proof of.
- Drivers when visiting depots must not get out of their lorry where possible so they limit the contact they have with people in other depots. If you have to get out of your lorry then always wear a mask and ensure you adhere to the 2-metre rule at all times.
- Ventilation: Please ensure that you have a constant supply of fresh air in your working areas and so please ensure you keep windows open to ensure there is constant ventilation throughout the offices which helps. Ventilation reduces the concentration of the virus in their fore and so reduces the risks of airborne transmissions.
If you need any supplies of antibacterial gel, wipes etc. then contact Charlotte Woods and these will be ordered straight away.
Testing
If you are asked to take a test or asked to self-isolate due to Covid-19 you can use your 2 sick days for the first 2 days off work and then you will receive SSP for any other time taken off. However, to enable us to claim SSP we must receive all correspondence regarding the test.
If you or a household member develop symptoms and are awaiting a test result, you will not be allowed to return to work until we have received the correspondence confirming you or the household member do not have Covid-19. This is to ensure the safety of all staff and also to have this as back up when applying for SSP from the government for your time off.
Please ensure all correspondence is texted or emailed to:
[email protected] / 07752 520867
This should include.
- The initial request for you to have a test or to self-isolate whilst a family member takes a test.
- The PCR (lab test) results so we can be 100% sure you are able to return to work.
Lateral Flow Tests
Everyone who has to work in the office are able to take a lateral flow test twice a week. This enables you to know if you are carrying the virus but are showing no symptoms. As many as 1 in 3 people who have Coronavirus have no symptoms. You can have lateral flow tests delivered to your home or you can pick them up, please view details on the link below.
https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests
What to do if you feel you might have Corona Virus
If you have any of the coronavirus symptoms you must take a test as soon as possible and you must not come into work. Coronavirus symptoms are:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
You can book a visit to your local test site, they are open are open 7 days a week. If you google local testing you will find the nearest place to your home.
You must not come into work if you feel you have any symptoms and you will not be allowed back into the office until you have a negative test result or you have completed your self-isolating period. If you take time off work to take a Covid test then you must send the negative results to [email protected] before being able to return to work.
When do you self-isolate
If you develop symptoms of Covid-19, stay at home and self-isolate immediately. If you have a positive test but do not have symptoms, stay at home and self-isolate as soon as you receive the results. If anyone in your household test’s positive the whole household must self-isolate. You must only leave your home to get a test, observe strict social distancing advice and return home immediately afterwards.
Your isolation period includes the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you do not have symptoms) and the next full 10 days. This means for example, if your symptoms started at any time on the 15th of the month, or you took your test at any time on the 15th, your isolation period ends at 23.59 hrs. on the 25th.
You can return to your normal routine and stop self-isolating after 10 full days if your symptoms have gone, or if the only symptoms you have are a cough or anosmia (loss of taste or smell), which can last for several weeks. If you still have a high temperature after 10 days or are otherwise unwell, stay at home and seek medical advice.
If you are isolating because of a positive test result but did not have any symptoms, and you develop Covid-19 symptoms within your isolation period, start a new 10-day isolation period, counting 10 full days from the day following your symptom onset.
If you live in the same household as someone with Covid-19
Stay at home and self-isolate. Do not go to work, school, or public areas and do not use public transport or taxis. Your isolation period includes the day the first person in your household’s symptoms started ( or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms) and the next full 10 days.
If you do not have symptoms of Covid-19 yourself, you do not need a test, only arrange a test if you develop any symptoms. If for any reason you have a negative test result during your 10-day isolation period, you must still continue to self-isolate. Even if you don’t have symptoms you could still pass the infection onto others. Stay at home for the full 10 days to avoid putting others at risk.
If you develop symptoms while you are isolating, arrange a test ASAP. If your test is positive, follow the advice for people with Covid-19 and stay at home and start a further full 10 days isolation period. This begins when your symptoms started, regardless of where you are in your original 10-day isolation period. This means that your total isolation period will be longer than 10 days.
If you are identified as a contact and asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, including the
NHS Covid-19 app you may be entitled to a payment of £500 from your local authority under the
Test and Trace support payment scheme.
Ending self-isolation
Self-isolation can end when a person does not pose a risk of infecting others. Therefore, an employee with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 can return to work 10 full days after the date their symptoms started if they feel well enough and provided they have not had a high temperature for at least 48 hours (without taking medicines to treat a high temperature); and even if they still have a cough or loss of sense of smell/taste, as these symptoms can last for several weeks after the infection has gone. If they still have a high temperature they should continue to stay at home and seek medical advice.
If the employee has diarrhoea or is being sick, they should stay at home until 48 hours after these symptoms have stopped.
If an employee’s test is negative they can stop self-isolating and return to work as long as they feel well enough, have not had a high temperature for at least 48 hours and provided that they are not a close contact of a confirmed case and that anyone they live with who has symptoms of COVID-19 has tested negative. If they develop new or worsening symptoms they should continue to self-isolate and arrange a further test.
Again, it should be recognised that there is potential for false negative test results. If there is strong suspicion that the employee has COVID-19, e.g. after discussion with their doctor, they should still isolate for 10 days, even if their test was negative. This should be risk assessed on an individual basis with clinical advice, taking account of factors such as the symptoms and known exposure to a COVID-19 case.
Travelling Abroad
As you are aware the travel restrictions are changing daily with new countries being added to the self-isolation list, so please keep an eye on this when booking any holiday.
Before you travel abroad;
- Check the riles and advice for the country or territory you’re going to
- Find out what you to do when you return to England
- Book any tests or quarantine hotel packages you need
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-abroad-from-england-during-coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england
If you have a holiday booked to a country on this list you will need to liaise closely with your travel company and/or your travel insurer, and consider whether it is appropriate to cancel or rearrange the time off. However, if your decision is to take the holiday, you will not be paid your normal wages by this Company for the period of quarantine upon your return to the UK. You can of course elect to take the additional quarantine period out of your annual holiday entitlement (assuming you have sufficient holiday left), or simply take it as unpaid leave. It is imperative that you follow the government guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone.
The government has confirmed that any time taken off to self-isolate due to returning from abroad will not be covered by SSP.
In regards to working from home during these 14 days this is down to the discretion of the Directors and if it is feasible for you to undertake your full role at home.
Yardman, Drivers and Delivery Update
The below processes sit alongside the ‘Health & Safety Covid Measure: Updated 26.07.2021
This documents the new processes for yard operatives, drivers and our delivery services.
- Anyone who shows any signs of COVID-19 should be sent home immediately to self-isolate.
- If a COVID incident occurs please ask the person involved to kindly wait in the car whilst you contact Charlotte Woods for advice.
Masks
- All staff who are working directly in front of a customer or visitor for example the yard staff whilst loading, drivers whilst visiting sites and all staff whilst in the trade counter area must wear a mask.
- All staff must wear a mask unless sat at their desk or working in the yard. This includes moving around the depot, using the toilet, kitchen, walking through the office and so forth. This is company policy and so must be adhered to with no excuses unless you are medically exempt.
- Yard staff and drivers must wear a mask when working in close proximity of another work colleague. However, a 2m distance should always be adhered to wherever possible.
Interbranch Collections and Deliveries
- We would like all branches to now follow and stick to the below processes when delivering or collecting from another branch.
Office Staff Process
- Interbranch collections and delivery’s must be pre-booked between managers. A copy of all collection tickets and delivery tickets must be emailed over to the relevant branch manager prior to collection or delivery.
- Please Ensure Yard staff have a copy of all collections and these are ready before the vehicle arrives.
- Please ensure Yard staff also have copies of expected delivery’s so they know what to offload and accept into the yard.
- Please check all collection and delivery tickets and advise each other of missing or extra tickets before a vehicle is offloaded and loaded to avoid tickets being missed.
Yardman Process
- Do not approach a delivery driver or customer at any point. Any person trying to walk towards you must be asked to polity stay at safe distance.
- If a transition of paperwork take’s place for any reason please ensure masks are worn and hands are sanitised before and after transition. Adhering to the 2m safe distance at all times.
- Do not offload or load any vehicle until the driver has safely got back into his cab and the vehicle is ready for safe offloading and loading.
- Please always sanitise hands before and after loading and offloading when physically handling goods or paperwork.
- All gates and warehouse door should be kept shut at all times apart from when in use. No member of the public is allowed to enter the warehouse or yard areas and must be polity asked to refrain from entering. Anyone who ignores these requests must be reported to the branch manager to deal with and may be banned from site.
Drivers Process
- Do not approach a yardman or customer at any point. Any person trying to walk towards you must be asked to polity stay at safe distance.
- If a transition of paperwork take’s place for any reason please ensure masks are worn and hands are sanitised before and after transition. Adhering to the 2m safe distance at all times.
- Upon arrival at a branch please telephone that office and advise on your arrival or if possible wave down a yardman. DO NOT enter other depots offices or warehouses.
- Once instructed to do so unstrap and prepare your vehicle for safe offloading and loading. Once ready please remain in your cab until offloading and loading has been completed.
- Any requirements to discuss loading and offloading must be done at a safe and suitable distance and marks must be worn where ever possible.
- Please check through your load and tickets before leaving to ensure all goods have been correctly offloaded and loaded.
- If you require use of other branches facilities please ensure you sanitise your hands before and after entering any buildings. MASKS must be worn and a safe 2m distance adhered to at all times. DO NOT linger or stop to engage in conversation whilst inside another depots warehouse or office whilst on route to and from the toilets.
Below are a number of links confirming the guidance from the government on these areas.
https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus/self-isolation-and-sick-pay
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/self-isolation-testing-and-ssp-employers-questions-answered/
https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test
https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/employer-guidance-employees-who-have-self-isolate-due-covid-19
(This policy is up-to-date as of the 26.07.2021 and will be amended as we are updated with guidelines from the Government)