Tips to keep your team safe in communal areas

 

As the weather turns colder, the ability to take breaks outdoors will be taken away from many of us.

Having a place to come out of the weather to warm up, dry off and refuel is essential to keep staff healthy and happy.

So how do you ensure your staff common areas don’t become a breeding ground for the disease?

Common areas include canteens, toilets, drying rooms, showers and changing facilities

You should think about:

• Physically moving tables and chairs so they are 2m apart
• Staggering break times so that people are not using break rooms, canteens, rest areas or changing facilities at the same time to maintain social distancing
• Where this is not possible, create additional space for people to take their breaks in. Is there a spare room in the clubhouse they could use?
• Mark areas using floor paint or tape to help people keep a 2m distance
• Use outside areas for breaks if the locations are suitable and it is safe to do so
• Encourage workers to stay on site during working hours

Where you cannot keep a 2m physical distance, you need to think about how to keep common areas clean and prevent transmission by touching contaminated surfaces. Think about: 

• How frequently you need to clean the common areas of your business
• Identifying objects and surfaces that are touched regularly and decide how frequently you clean them
• Setting clear guidance for the use of rest areas, toilets, showers and changing facilities to make sure they are kept clean.

This advice was taken from the Health & Safety Executives guidelines relating to working safely during the coronavirus outbreak, which is accessible online.