Safe Exit for business

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:

• Working from home
• 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. At this stage of the pandemic, businesses should enable working from home as the default operating model wherever it is possible. Exceptions would include when unable to do so due to nature of work or personal circumstances of individual staff.

Every business open at this time must undertake a risk assessment 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.

Where a business is within a building occupied by others, an additional risk assessment that covers the communal areas shared with people outside of your organisation will need to be developed.

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.

This detailed Government guidance for indoor workplaces provides advice on how to operate safely and can be found here.

Government indoor workplace advice

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

Workplace posters

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

UK Government safe working in offices

Both indoor and outdoor seated food and drink services on non-licensed premises may continue in adherence with the following conditions and public health guidance set out below:

• as of 1 December all customer facing / interacting staff working within restaurants, bars and cafes must now wear masks. Customers are strongly recommended to wear masks except for when eating and drinking within these settings
• seated food and seated drinks only are permitted
• standing service remains prohibited
• the total number of covers permitted at any time will be limited by the requirement to maintain 2 metres physical distancing between seated customers at different tables at all times
• the establishment should operate within the current advice on gatherings and events
• no booking should be taken for more than 10 people
• for any private event or any individual booking for over 10 people, the guidelines for controlled events and gatherings must be followed with particular attention given to the guidelines on concurrent events within the same venue
• strict physical distancing and hygiene measures are required for staff as well as customers
• live music is permitted at low level only and in accordance with the music and singing guidance
• Alcohol is not permitted to be consumed on the premises and guests are not permitted to “bring their own” alcohol

Takeaways and food deliveries continue to be able to operate following the guidance provided.

Shared use children’s indoor soft play facilities must remain closed.

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
• Masks or mouth and nose coverings
• ‘Self-service’ and buffets
• Indoor seated food services
• Outdoor seated food services
• Awnings and weather screens
• Food vans, trailers and carts
• Building alterations
• Takeaway and food deliveries

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
• Masks or mouth and nose coverings
• Changing rooms
• Returns
• Specific subsectors including, unstaffed side of the road vegetable stalls, Supermarkets, Taxi services, Private transport

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

All close personal contact services and treatments can continue, including close work on or around the face, where hygiene and sanitising guidelines are strictly followed including the wearing of visors and cloth face masks.

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 guidance is for businesses, clubs and associations that operate indoor and outdoor sport and recreation facilities and/or provide indoor or outdoor sports and activity services (‘indoor and outdoor activity businesses’). It supports operators in identifying how they can adapt their practices to significantly increase safety for staff, volunteers and customers.

Saunas, steam rooms, spas and Jacuzzies should all remain closed.

Jersey Sport is also able to help and further information is available on their website.

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, they are

• libraries
• museums
• galleries
• performing arts venues
• arcades

Established performing arts venues (such as theatres, cinemas, concert halls) providing for seated audiences also have to operate in accordance with the advice on gatherings and events.

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.

Measures to reduce the transmission risk of COVID-19 are required as part of broader risk assessment and safety planning required under the Health and Safety at work Law and the Management in Construction (Jersey) Regulations 2016. Monitoring of risk assessment and ensuring adequate standards of safety plans, including for reducing COVID-19 risks, will continue to be carried out through health and safety inspections of construction and building sites. Further information on the health and safety requirements on the construction industry is available from the Health and Safety Inspectorate.

Construction work is now allowed to take place in people’s homes while occupied. All such work should adhere to the guidance for working safely in people’s homes.

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

Animal-related businesses can open in accordance with the general business guidance and guidance for indoor and outdoor workplaces, other relevant guidance may be applicable such as working in vehicles and working in people’s homes, for example for dog walkers and mobile groomers.

Professional dog walkers: Dog walkers can continue to work where they do not pose a risk to public health. They must follow the guidance on physical distancing for their staff and owners when animals are collected. Walkers can make visits between multiple households and mix dogs from separate households when walking in accordance with the guidance for working in people’s homes.

Business should follow guidance for business.

Government animal related services advice

From 4 December 2020 accommodation providers holding an alcohol licence are only permitted to open for the purposes of those requiring to self-isolate and those requiring emergency accommodation or under exceptional circumstances which will be determined on a case by case basis.

Existing residents of hotels and other accommodation will be permitted to continue their stay until the end of their original booking.

Accommodation providers that do not have alcohol licences, such as B&Bs, self-catering properties and lodging houses, can remain open.

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 advice for hotel guests in self-isolation. The hotel should refer guests to the advice on isolation with particular attention being given to guidance on how long they should isolate which is dependent on their individual circumstances.

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.

Businesses are 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. 

Guidance for businesses that offer outdoor services away from their own premises

Businesses that offer outdoor services away from their own premises, such as gardening or window cleaning, are able to provide services outside with no prescribed restriction on number of employees working. This is on the condition that they must continue to achieve physical distancing where possible, including travelling to and from the place of work and during the course of the work.

Government guidance for working outside

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