Coronavirus: Advice for businesses - Working safely

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it is more important than ever for businesses to operate safely.

As well as the usual steps to ensure this happens – details of which can be found on our Health and Safety at work page – the Government and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have produced specific guidance to protect employees and the public.

As the pandemic is an ever-changing situation, this information will likely be updated, so please check back regularly for the latest advice.

On this page

• Government advice
• HSE advice
• How to show you are “Covid secure”
• How to report safety concerns

Further information and advice for businesses on issues such as fire, food, gas and water system safety can also be found on our business reopening page.

Government safety advice

The Government has, in consultation with industry, produced guidance to help businesses and staff understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

To read this visit www.gov.uk/workingsafely.

This advice includes help to carry out risk assessments, information on how to talk to staff about keeping both themselves and others safe, and details of measures you may need to consider, such as social distancing, staggered shifts, and additional handwashing facilities.

This link also includes practical actions for businesses to take and guidance for specific industries, including:

• Construction and other outdoor work
• Factories, plants and warehouses
• Offices and contact centres
• Working in, visiting or delivering to other people's homes.
• Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery
• Shops or similar environments
• Working in or from vehicles, including couriers, mobile workers, and lorry drivers

Health and Safety Executive advice

The HSE has produced a short guide which outlines the steps you should take to help manage the risks of coronavirus for your business. It can be downloaded from the HSE website.

The steps include:

• identifying what work activity or situations might cause transmission of the virus
• thinking about who could be at risk
• deciding how likely it is that someone could be exposed
• acting to remove the activity or situation, or if this isn’t possible, controlling the risk.

As part of this you are required to consult and involve your employees in the steps you are taking to manage the risk of coronavirus in your workplace.

Further HSE guidance on talking with your workers is also available to download from their website.

After you have done this you should display a notice to let staff know that you are “COVID secure.”

Showing you are ‘COVID secure’

A notice to show you have followed this guidance, and that you are “COVID secure”, can be downloaded from the Government website to display in your workplace.

Report safety concerns

If you have concerns about how a business is controlling the risk posed by Covid-19 please, in confidence, contact our Public Safety and Regulation team by emailing psr@newcastle.gov.uk.