As COVID restrictions continue to be lifted, workplace safety will once again be vital as masses of workers begin to return to the office, but this time without safety measures such as social distancing and face masks. For this reason, BAFE have offered guidance for the removal or lifting of safety precautions.  

Continue to exercise a risk-based approach prior to visiting a site to perform work

When returning, certain things must be considered. What is the current policy of your client? What requirements are they expecting you to follow when on-site? Do they require evidence of negative rapid lateral flow tests of technicians/engineers? What would you like them to do in helping reduce any risk of possible transmission to your employees?

Continue to wear a mask

This is especially important when indoors in areas with limited ventilation and/or high capacity of people within the space available. The World Health Organisation (WHO) continue to recommend mask wearing “as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress transmission and save lives”. Government note “to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, published guidance will advise that wearing a face covering will reduce your risk and the risk to others, where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet in enclosed and crowded spaces”.

Consider contacting clients with buildings that may require provisions/system maintenance visits prior to opening at full capacity

The last thing any business would like at this time is failure of any fire safety provisions in place causing disruption. Are any maintenance visits overdue? Help premises/business management be confident they can now operate “as normal” knowing they have exercised due diligence with their fire safety responsibilities.

BAFE trust that all BAFE Registered Companies will continue to exercise good judgment to keep employees, clients, and other people you may encounter safe. This includes the now habitual acts of washing/sanitising hands regularly, keeping rooms well ventilated, wearing masks on-site around others and importantly as pointed out by Government, “staying at home if unwell, to reduce the risk of passing on other illnesses onto friends, family, colleagues, and others in your community”. Rules vary between each country in the UK. As we begin the roadmap back to a relative normal environment, we strongly recommend continuing to review your own risk assessments concerning COVID-19 safety when guidance is updated by the appropriate Government.