Safe Exit for business

Here is the link to advice for carrying out a general Risk Assessment in Jersey.

General Risk Assessment Guidance

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.

Offices

Warehouses

Construction and other outdoor work

Restaurants

Hotels, guest houses, indoor and outdoor attractions, business events and consumer shows

Shops

Couriers, drivers and other work vehicles

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.

Office based business

Local shop / newsagent

Food preparation and service

Motor vehicle repair shop

Warehouse

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:

• Preparing to re-open
• 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

Government general advice

This guidance applies to indoor workplaces such as offices, warehouses, manufacturing and workshops. These businesses are able to return more employees to the workplace, beyond what may be otherwise considered essential. However, at this stage of the pandemic, businesses are still strongly advised to continue to allow working from home as the default operating model, where it is possible to do so.

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:

Government indoor workplace advice

The guidance also includes information posters for use throughout a workplace:

Workplace ready

Workplace hygiene

Meeting room safety

Lift safety

UK Government guidelines are also helpful in providing examples of best practice for offices etc.

UK Government safe working in offices

Under the Safe Exit Level 2 Policy indoor and 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.

From Wednesday 1 July, pubs and bars can open for a seated service following public health guidelines found here.

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
• Collecting contact information
• Working in kitchens
• Spacing of tables
• Queuing and circulation
• Hygiene and sanitising in food and drinks services
• ‘Self-service’ and buffets
• Indoor seated food services
• Outdoor seated food services
• Awnings and weather screens
• Food vans, trailers and carts
• Building alterations
• Preparing to re-open
• Takeaway and food deliveries
• Drinks only venues partnering with a food business

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.

Government food & drink advice

UK Government guidelines are also helpful in providing examples of best practice for food and drink businesses:

UK Government safe working in food and drink

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:

• Hygiene and sanitising
• Physical distancing measures
• Changing rooms
• Returns
• Specific subsectors including, unstaffed side of the road vegetable stalls, Supermarkets, Taxi services

Government retail advice

UK Government guidelines are also helpful in providing examples of best practice for retailers:

UK Government safe working in retail

This guidance applies to close personal contact services, they include:

• hairdressers
• barbers
• beauty and nail salons
• piercing and tattoo parlours
• massage and reflexology
• laser and cosmetic clinics

Whilst many non-essential close contact services may now resume, due to the increased transmission risk, activities that involve close work on or around the face are strongly advised against at level 2.

Government guidance for wellbeing, cosmetic and beauty services

Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.

This is guidance for businesses, clubs and associations that operate indoor sport / recreation facilities and / or provide indoor sport / activity services. It supports operators in identifying how they can adapt their practices to significantly increase safety for staff, volunteers and customers / users in the context of COVID-19 in Jersey.

Sector specific exceptions: These areas / facilities must remain closed:

• Changing rooms / shower facilities / water fountains
• Soft play areas including trampolines
• Jacuzzis, hot tubs, and other spa-type small static-use indoor ‘pools’ and saunas, steam rooms

Government guidance for Indoor sports & recreation businesses

Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.

This guidance applies to indoor leisure venues who are permitted to open at Level 2 of the Safe Exit Framework, they are:

• libraries
• museums
• galleries
• cinemas
• theatres
• arcades

At Level 2, cinemas and theatres are strongly advised to limit their capacity to a maximum of 40 people per screening or show, and follow government advice on gatherings.

Indoor leisure venues should also follow the guidelines for indoor workplaces, sports and recreation, and food and drink (where applicable).

Government guidance on Indoor leisure venues

Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.

Under the Safe Exit Level 2 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

Government outdoor recreation advice

The Events Industry Forum-UK guidance – Keeping workers and audiences safe during COVID-19 In the Outdoor Event Industry

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 , provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms. It is vital that public health guidelines, including maintaining a 1 metre distance from any household occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

Construction permits for building works are no longer required.

The Construction Leadership Council have issued guidelines for the safe operation of construction sites during COVID-19 which can be found here:

Construction site safe operating procedures

The Government of Jersey advice on safe operations is available here:

Government building and construction advice

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.

Government animal related services advice

Hotels, hostels, B&Bs, self-catering accommodation and similar and camping sites may all open to people that are normally resident in Jersey for ‘staycations’.

Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.

Government accommodation advice

There is also separate guidance for hotels looking after those isolating due to coronavirus.

Registered and Allied Health Professions are an essential part of the health and care system. Their services are vital in aiding disease and condition management, recovery and prevention of further complications and illnesses.  They include:

• chiropractor
• osteopath
• physiotherapist
• podiatrist
• optometrist
• optician
• orthoptist
• clinical psychologist
• speech & language therapist
• chiropodist
• dietitian
• occupational therapist
• radiographer
• acupuncturists

Government advice for Allied and registered health & dentists

Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.

As part of Level 2, businesses are now allowed to carry out work in customers’ homes if the following public health guidance is adhered to.

It covers all business activity that involves going in to a private occupied residence such as

• cleaners
• cooks
• surveyors
• estate agents
• internal building maintenance (including repair, renovation and home improvement)
• deliveries
• home visits for personal appointments (such as hairdressing, health practitioners etc).

This is not an exhaustive list.

This guidance sets out ways in which such businesses can operate whilst reducing the risk of the spread of COVID-19. 

Government guidance on working in people’s homes

Note that this guidance is in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses opening at the current time.