Covid Secure Commitment by the Directors:
We recognise the risk posed by Coronavirus (COVID-19) to our employees, their families and those who use our services. Control measures to minimise the risk of infection and the transmission of the virus are provided in this Risk Assessment.
- We will ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of our Employees and others.
- We will share this Risk Assessment and its findings with employees and consult on its contents.
- We will continue to comply with all relevant Health and Safety Legislation
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – General Measures
Who might be harmed and how?
Staff. Visitors, customers to the premises, contractors, vulnerable groups, those with existing underlying health conditions and anyone else who physically comes in contact with staff in relation to this business will be referred to collectively as visitors.
What are you already doing?
Information on Covid Control measures must be communicated to all staff, visitors and customers.
Staff (and others) regularly reminded of the Covid control measures in place and the need to follow all of the relevant procedures.
Directors check to ensure that appropriate procedures are being followed and that facilities provided are maintained.
Signs and visual aids to be placed around the shop advising covid secure measures.
Covid-19 Secure Commitment/Risk Assessment to be displayed on website and customers to be directed to it prior to visiting.
Contactless payments to be encouraged wherever possible.
Staff uniforms to be washed daily.
What further action is necessary?
Ongoing updates to staff, visitors and customers regarding the latest covid restrictions/advice from PH England.
Ongoing monitoring by directors of staff and visitors to ensure procedures are being followed and facilities provided are maintained.
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Hand Washing
Who might be harmed and how?
All staff and visitors
What are you already doing?
Hand washing facilities with soap and water are in place at three separate points within the shop. One specifically for the tattoo artist, one in the kitchen and one in the toilet to allow for easy and frequent hand washing.
Hand washing to be monitored by directors.
Information provided to staff on optimal hand washing techniques.
Paper towels provided to allow drying of hands and pedal bins/opened topped bins used to reduce touch points.
Handwashing facilities cleaned regularly, bins emptied and soap, paper towels and hand sanitiser replenished regularly.
Gel sanitisers provided in any area where washing facilities are not readily available eg reception and customers will be encouraged to use them.
What further action is necessary?
Employees to be reminded on a regular basis to wash their hands for 20 seconds with water and soap and the importance of proper drying with disposable towels.
Staff should also be reminded to catch coughs and sneezes in tissues – Follow Catch it, Bin it, Kill it and to avoid touching face, eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands. Tissues will be made available throughout the workplace.
Regular checks to be carried out by directors to ensure that the necessary procedures are being followed.
70% Alcohol based hand sanitisers to be used and stored correctly to reduce fire risks.
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Cleaning
Who might be harmed and how?
All Staff & Visitors
What are you already doing?
Surfaces
Cleaning schedules in place to make sure surfaces that are touched regularly, particularly in areas of high use such as door handles, light switches & reception area are cleaned using appropriate cleaning products and methods.
Shared Equipment
Where possible equipment will be used only by one person. Where not possible, cleaning materials will be provided to be used between each change of user.
Signs to be displayed with clear instructions for cleaning
What further action is necessary?
Ongoing monitoring by directors of all cleaning schedules, standards of cleanliness and regular inspection of all areas.
Laminated tick sheets indicating when the last time each item has been cleaned will be placed adjacent to that item along with signs to remind users of cleaning requirements.
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Eliminating workplace exposure
Who might be harmed and how?
All staff & visitors
What are you already doing?
Visitors
Only necessary visitors / contractors will be permitted on to the premises.
Persons with positive Covid-19 tests or persons informed they are close contacts
Staff to be instructed not to attend work if they have developed Covid Symptoms or have been informed that they are a close contact of a Covid Positive individual in line with PH guidance.
Directors will maintain regular contact with staff members during this time.
Persons with symptoms of Covid-19 at work
If anyone becomes unwell with a new continuous cough, loss of taste or smell or a high temperature in the workplace they will be sent home and advised to follow the stay at home guidance.
If advised that a member of staff or public has developed Covid-19 and were recently on the premises (or where a member of staff has visited other work place premises or domestic premises), the directors will contact the Public Health Authority to discuss the case, identify people who have been in contact with them and will take advice on any actions or precautions that should be taken.
What further action is necessary?
Visitors will be required to confirm they have not been in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID 19 in the past 10 days and they do not have any symptoms.
Where practicable a record of Visitors / Contractors contact details will be held for 10 days to allow contact tracing if required.
Regular reminders to be issued to staff on symptoms and the actions to take.
Directors to liaise with PHA appropriately
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Social Distancing
Who might be harmed and how?
All staff and visitors
What are you already doing?
All mitigating actions possible to be taken to reduce the risk of transmission between staff and all those who may be on the premises. See Face Coverings and PPE section below.
Reduce the number of persons in any work area to comply with the current Public Health England guidance at the time.
Measures may include:
Limiting the number of people in rooms so that social distancing rules can be met.
Leave non-fire doors open to reduce the amount of contact with doors and also potentially improve workplace ventilation
Redesigning of processes to ensure social distancing is in place.
Provide washing facilities and hand sanitiser at accessible places near to where people will have contact with high traffic communal areas.
Display signs reminding people to socially distance, wash hands and not touch their faces.
Where it is impossible to maintain 2m Social Distancing additional controls will be implemented including:
limiting the amount of time people spend on the task placing workers back-to-back or side-by-side rather than face-to-face when working
improving ventilation
enhanced cleaning regimes
increased hand washing
What further action is necessary?
Staff to be reminded on a daily basis of the importance of social distancing both in the workplace and outside of it.
The directors will carry out checks regularly to ensure social distancing is adhered to within the workplace and in common areas.
Regular reminders to staff to ensure they are clear on the rules when using common areas and workstations.
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Ventilation
Who might be harmed and how?
All staff and visitors
What are you already doing?
Poor ventilation increases the risk of spreading covid-19 and measures should be taken to ensure adequate ventilation is maintained.
Where possible good ventilation should be maintained using natural ‘fresh air’ ventilation (opening windows and ‘non-fire’ doors as appropriate)
What further action is necessary?
Where possible heating will be adjusted to facilitate enhanced ventilation.
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Face Coverings & PPE including gloves
Who might be harmed and how?
All staff and visitors
What are you already doing?
Face coverings will be worn in all situations designated in current Coronavirus Regulations. In addition to any PPE that is usually worn, further PPE protection will be provided for staff who must work face-to-face for a sustained period with more than a small group of fixed partners. This will take the form of a clear visor that covers the face and provides a barrier between the wearer and the client from respiratory droplets caused by sneezing, coughing or speaking. Visors must fit the user and be worn properly. It should cover the forehead, extend below the chin, and wrap around the side of the face.
Where PPE is a requirement for non- covid related risks it shall be used in line with existing risk assessments which will be reviewed in light of the risks from Covid-19.
All staff will be trained how to put on and remove PPE that is used for work and how to keep it clean.
Gloves must be worn at all times where infection control dictates and an adequate supply of these will be provided. Staff will be instructed on how to remove gloves carefully to reduce contamination and how to dispose of them safely.
What further action is necessary?
Customers will be encouraged to wear face coverings even if current coronavirus regulations do not specify this.
Staff should be reminded that wearing of gloves is not a substitute for good hand washing as the virus can be transferred on the surface of the glove
What are the hazards?
The Spread of COVID-19 virus – Mental Health
Who might be harmed and how?
All staff
What are you already doing?
Directors will promote mental health & wellbeing awareness to staff during the Coronavirus outbreak and will offer whatever support they can to help
What further action is necessary?
Regular communication of mental health information and open-door policy for those who need additional support.
Directors will offer support to staff who are affected by Coronavirus/has a family member affected.
Assessment review date: 17.09.2022 (within one year, or earlier if working habits or conditions change)