If you’re a business owner the latest update from the government, announcing changes to England’s lockdown, including a relaxing of the 2m rule, should come as welcome news. Boris Johnson announced that pubs, restaurants, cinemas and hairdressers are among the venues which will be allowed to reopen. As an employer and business owner, it is now imperative to prepare effectively for the new guidelines that come into action on the 4th July, in order to minimise the spreading of coronavirus.
The change in government guidance has been updated to include general information for businesses as well as directions for specific divisions. It explains that businesses should undertake risk assessments for Covid-19 to safeguard their workplace. This information should be distributed on their website/correspondents to customers. As well as this, the guidance says that businesses should develop and update existing hygiene procedures in line with the new advice.
Face coverings, masks and visors come with varying guidelines for businesses, but the government says that there are situations where wearing a face mask is beneficial as a precautionary measure, and they also stressed that clients and workers who wish to wear a face mask should be allowed to do so.
As face coverings are such a visual indicator of measures being taken by businesses, it is likely customers will be looking out for these to signal a safe environment. Members of the public may well be concerned about having close contact with the service industry, and masks could also be a tool to further reassure customers that they are safe in your business.
In addition to supporting your staff to wear face masks, you should also be telling workers to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or to use hand sanitiser before putting on face masks and before and after removing them. To avoid contaminating face masks with germs, employees should be told to avoid touching these while at work, and if wearing a reusable type, to wash these daily.
A great option for your staff, that is available to purchase in bulk, are Daylong’s non-medical washable face masks which are made from soft, skin-friendly tri-flex fabric that have effective antibacterial properties. The Silvadur technology means that the face covering can stay fresh and protected from odours. The technology is able to withstand high temperatures, extending their useful life. They are washable up to 50 times without losing effectiveness.
Further government advice for businesses also suggest other ways of managing risk. These include minimising the time spent in contact with other people as much as possible – using fixed teams and partnering for close-up work; i.e working with the same employees to minimise potential further spreading between colleagues – and of course, increasing hand and surface washing. These measures do remain the best ways of minimising the risk of spreading coronavirus. Face masks should not be relied on as the only measure in place for your employees’ safety.
