Safe Exit for business
Risk Assessment
If you are opening your business as part of the Safe Exit Framework you MUST complete a Risk Assessment for your premises before you open and regardless of the number of people you employ. You can download the template here and use the information and guides in the section below to evaluate the steps you need to take to open safely.
Here is the link to advice for carrying out a general Risk Assessment in Jersey.
This UK Guidance on working safely during COVID-19 will help employers, employees and the self-employed undertake an effective Risk Assessment. It also provides examples of best practice that you could adopt in different workplace situations.
Below are examples of completed Risk Assessments issued by the UK HSE . You can use them as a guide to think about:
- some of the hazards in your business
- the steps you need to take to manage the risks
Do not just copy an example and put your company name to it as that would not protect your employees. You must think about the specific hazards and controls your business needs.
Operating at Level 3
From Monday 11th May 2020 Jersey began to move through the Safe Exit Framework to operate at Level 3 of the framework.
The public health policy guidelines for level 3 are available here and the key principles are:
- Maintain strong hygiene measures
- Maintain a physical distance of 2 meters from anyone you don’t live with
- People can be outside their homes for up to 6 hours a day in total
- Social events and gathering are prohibited with limited exceptions. However, an individual or household can meet up to 5 other people a day outside and whilst maintaining physical distancing.
- People should continue to work from home wherever possible and the restrictions on non essential businesses are:
- Maximum 2 people in an indoor business premises with 2 meter physical distancing
- Maximum 6 people operating outdoors with 2 meter physical distancing
- However, the following businesses are now permitted to open:
- Outdoor recreational sites, facilities and services
- Cafés and restaurants, for the purpose of offering safe outdoor seated food service
- Retail outlets
- Property viewings are permitted, however, their premises must remain closed to customers
- Permitted constructions sites
- Indoor workplaces including offices, warehouses and workshops
For further detailed information on how to operate please see:
This guidance supports all businesses that are now permitted to open in identifying how they can adapt their practices to significantly increase safety for staff and customers in the face of COVID-19 and to reduce the risk as they open and operate.
Every business or organisation opening during the COVID-19 pandemic should plan in advance how they are going to reduce the risk of spreading the virus during the course of operating.
Businesses have two critical areas to consider:
- Protection of staff and their families
- Protection of customers and their families
This detailed guidance provides advice on the following issues that every organisation needs to consider as it opens:
- Supporting staff to follow public health advice
- Handwashing
- Staffing levels and supporting vulnerable people
- Physical distancing
- Payments
- Deliveries
- Cleaning of premises, equipment and toilet facilities
- Preparing to re-open
This guidance applies to indoor workplaces such as offices, warehouses, manufacturing and workshops. A business must consider whether or not it is essential to its operation for employees to return to the workplace and if it is not essential and/or home-working can continue, employees should not be asked to return to the workplace during Level 3. If it is essential then indoor workplaces can open from Thursday 21st May.
Every business returning to the workplace must undertake a risk assessment in advance to plan how it will put appropriate measures in place before opening to reduce and manage the risk of coronavirus transmission. Crucially, this means that the number of people working within the building must be able to comfortably maintain physical distancing at all times with adequate welfare and hygiene provisions made available. In many cases, this will mean that the number of employees able to return to the workplace will remain very limited.
Any business that is opening should retain a record of the risk assessment and workplace plan which should be available for inspection by the relevant authorities, including the Health and Safety Inspectorate.
Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.
This guidance for indoor workplaces provides advice on how to open safely including:
- The number of people in a building
- Workplace layout and work processes
- Notices, floor markings and movement
- Cleaning and hygiene
- Use of plant and equipment
Detailed Government guidance can be found here:
The guidance also includes information posters for use throughout a workplace:
UK Government guidelines are also helpful in providing examples of best practice for offices etc.
Under the Safe Exit Level 3 Policy outdoor seated food services are permitted to open. This guidance sets out ways in which businesses providing such services can operate whilst reducing the risk of the spread of COVID-19.
The establishment of an alfresco dining area related, and adjacent, to an existing business selling hot or cold meals and drink for consumption on or off the premises, will be permitted.
Alcoholic beverages may be sold with meals, but an alcoholic drinks-only service is not permitted.
Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.
This guidance for food and drink businesses provides advice on how to trade including:
- Physical distancing measures
- Seating and table arrangements
- Awnings and weather screens
- Food vans, trailers and carts
- Building alterations
- Preparing to re-open
- Takeaway and food deliveries
Any businesses intending to re-open must inform Environmental Health at [email protected] that it intends to reopen and begin serving sit down customers. All businesses providing food services should also follow the guidance on food safety during a changing business model.
UK Government guidelines are also helpful in providing examples of best practice for food and drink businesses:
From Monday 11th May
- large retailers (stores over 700 meters) are able to open but retailers should not sell any goods or services that are not usually sold in the course of their businesses.
From Monday 18 May
- all other retail premises (i.e those under 700 square meters, including shops, outdoor and indoor markets and auction houses and retail premises associated with estate agents) are also now able to reopen, provided they maintain two-metre physical distancing.
The retail guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time, including essential retailers.
The retail guidance provides advice on how to trade including:
- Physical barriers
- Physical distancing measures
- Changing rooms
- Returns
UK Government guidelines are also helpful in providing examples of best practice for retailers:
Under the Safe Exit Level 3 policy businesses or organisations that support outdoor recreation will be able to open if they are able to put necessary public health measures in place to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19.
Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.
All businesses that are selling food should also follow the guidance on food safety during a changing business model.
Two categories of business/organisations are able to open to enable outdoor activities, providing they comply with the public health guidelines set out here:
- Outdoor recreational facilities, or the outdoor areas of recreational facilities that have both indoor and outdoor areas
- Companies offering outdoor recreation services
Essential emergency home and building repair and maintenance works may be carried out by plumbers, electricians, roofers, scaffolders and other tradespeople. This work can be carried out at people’s homes where it is urgent or essential, provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms. It is vital that public health guidelines, including maintaining a 2 metre distance from any household occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.
Construction sites are controlled by Law in connection with Covid-19 and permits are required for any construction activity or site where more than two people are present.
Construction activities which only involve one or two people, and which have safe operating procedures, can operate without requiring Government permission, provided that physical distancing and hygiene instructions are adhered to at all times.
The Construction Leadership Council have issued guidelines for the safe operation of construction sites during COVID-19 which can be found here:
The Government of Jersey advice on safe operations is available here:
Under the Safe Exit Level 3 Policy in order to enable the purchasing, sale and rental of properties, estate agents, property management companies and surveyors are now able to carry out property viewings for the purposes of property sales or rentals. This guidance sets out ways in which such businesses can operate whilst reducing the risk of the spread of COVID-19.
Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.
All pet stores and veterinary businesses providing items for health and welfare of animals, including animal feed and medicines, animal food, pet food, animal supplies including bedding, can remain open and are essential retail.
Business should follow guidance for retailers that are currently permitted to open. Where goods can be delivered, companies are encouraged to offer a home delivery service.
Guidance for other animal related services such as boarding kennels, dog groomers, dog walkers, horse livery yards, farriers and equine instructors can be found here.
If you have any questions or queries about operating during the Safe Exit please contact: [email protected]