As many businesses are starting to return to their premises, you may be wondering what responsibilities you have to your employees regarding their safety or for yourself during the Coronavirus pandemic. Based on the current guidance (15th June 2020) from the UK government, Public Health England and the HSE, non-healthcare businesses don’t need to wear PPE. However, you will be required to wear face coverings in some places which include public transport and in hospitals from today.
Do employers need to provide PPE?
The HSE helps to advise employers about their obligations to protect employees from injury and harm from work-related activity, and their stance is that if you don’t normally wear PPE as part of your business activities, you do not need to because of the Coronavirus. There is no evidence that the use of face masks outside of clinical or healthcare settings will help protect you from the Coronavirus.
If your employees feel more comfortable wearing PPE at work, you should be supportive of them and accommodate them. However, you should be able to reassure your employees through demonstrating the steps you have taken to protect them and ready your business for operating again. See last month’s blog on ‘Returning to work safely during the Coronavirus pandemic’ for guidance.
How can face masks/coverings help?
As many media reports and government comments have said, the use of face masks/coverings doesn’t necessarily protect the user from the Coronavirus, but they can be effective as a barrier for stopping the wearer from spreading the virus if they unknowingly have it.
However, for the face mask/covering to be effective, it needs to be worn correctly covering the mouth and nose with no gaps around the edges, the government have shared this advice to help wearers. Their effectiveness also deteriorates during use especially if moist, so you will need to replace the mask/covering and replace the insert to maintain effectiveness. For reusable masks, you need to store them safely in a plastic bag after use until you can wash them.
Many people have been making their own face masks and there are several designs being shared but this is a link to two designs that the government has shared if you want to try your hand in making one.
We hope this blog helps you and you and your employees stay safe.