Guidance for safely reopening your business
The current crisis has resulted in the temporary, or in some cases permanent, closure of many businesses, not just in the UK but across the entire world. Those who run out of physical buildings have had to abandon their traditional operations and if possible, run in an online manner.
With the regular Government updates, you may be thinking about the future of your business premises, and how you will go about reopening in a safe and compliant manner in order to keep yourself, your employees and your customers safe.
In this post, we aim to bring some clarity to the guidance you should be following when it comes to safely reopening your business.
Please note: When reopening, please ensure you are following the Government guidelines and restrictions and continue to observe those measures.
This guide aims to provide a general overview of the considerations you should be making in line with the Government guidelines.
It’s important that you continue observing these measures in order to ensure your organisation is remaining compliant with your legal and regulatory obligations when it comes to building safety.
Some considerations include, but are not limited to:
One Way Systems
In order to ensure you are adhering to the 2-metre social distancing instructions, a one-way system may be an effective format to adopt in your building. This is a wise choice if walkways and paths are not wide enough to ensure that everyone can walk with adequate space around them.
No Food
Shared appliances should be removed from communal areas in order to prevent the spread of any potential germs. Where possible, encourage staff to bring their own food, including cutlery and eat away from others.
Reducing numbers
A reduction in numbers is a consistent factor across all essential businesses that have remained open. If staff are returning to work, because it is absolutely necessary, then ensure you are doing everything you possibly can to reduce numbers within the building. First and foremost encourage those who can, to work from home. If that’s not doable then introduce one-way entrances and exits, amend the rota to have fewer people in the building at one time, and display the necessary signs to encourage social distancing.
If you are a business where customers must enter the premises then ensure you are adhering to the same measures as above. Limit the number of customers coming in at one time, separate the customers’ entrance and exit if possible, and ensure there are visible social distancing guidelines.
Sanitisation
It goes without saying that cleanliness is more important than ever at the moment. Ensure that you are adhering to the highest sanitisation standards in your building, whether you are welcoming customers in or not. Use effective products to wipe down all surfaces regularly, and as a minimum, after each use. Enforce strict and regular hand-washing measures for staff.
Provide antibacterial gel, or an alternative, for customers to use before entering your premises. If you provide trolleys and/or baskets for customers, make sure you are cleaning the touchpoint after each customer has used it.
To some, these considerations may appear obstructive and too time-consuming to implement, but they are the bare minimum measures you should be taking in order for reopening your business.
By following the Government guidelines and points we’ve made above, you are limiting the chances of potential legal claims against your business. Not only are you protecting your staff and customers now, but you are ensuring your business will survive this period and be strong enough to continue running long into the future.
If you would like to talk to a friendly professional about business insurance and how our cover may support you through this period, give us a call on 0121 679 7265.