Health and Safety Executive inspectors are contacting and visiting Swindon businesses to make sure they are covid-secure.
The move follows workplace outbreaks in the town.
HSE is working alongside Swindon Borough Council to support the understanding of patterns in the cases while reassuring the community.
The inspectors, according to the HSE are speaking to employers and relevant duty holders, ensuring that they are complying with the latest Safer Workplace guidance relevant to their sectors.
Being COVID-secure means businesses must put in place workplace adjustments to manage the risk and protect workers and others from coronavirus.
The HSE says businesses can do this by:
- Carrying out a covid-19 risk assessment
- Developing increased cleaning, hand-washing and hygiene procedures
- Taking all reasonable steps to help people work from home
- Maintaining two-metre social distancing where possible
- Where people cannot be two metres apart, managing transmission risk
HSE Principal Inspector Simon Chilcott said: “As confirmed cases of the disease are on the rise in Swindon, we are talking to and conducting spot inspections on local businesses in the area to gauge and understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity.
“Our visits are not just located in the town centre; we are conducting spot inspections and telephone inspections across businesses in the wider area to ensure becoming covid-secure is their current number one priority.
“While reassuring businesses, we are also reminding them that it is a legal duty for employers to protect their workers and others from harm and this includes taking reasonable steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus.
"This will entail making often simple but effective workplace adjustments to become covid-secure.”
HSE and local authority inspectors are finding some common issues across a range of sectors which include failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising and maintaining social distancing, failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime and not providing access to welfare facilities to allow employees to frequently wash their hands with warm water and soap.
To support businesses, the HSE is providing advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers.
Where some employers are not managing the risk, the organisation will take action which can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices and stopping certain work practices until they are made safe.
Where businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.
Simon Chilcott added: “If you are a business or organisation that is open anywhere in the UK you must ensure you have the right workplace adjustments in place to safeguard your workers from coronavirus infection.
"HSE are combining a range of tactics to ensure they can check as many businesses as possible, so if you get a phone call or a visit from HSE you must engage in the spot inspection process.
“We are also encouraging all employers to work with their employees when implementing changes to become covid-secure, and guiding them to the right information on how to do this.
“Our inspectors could call unannounced at any business in any sector so please make sure your workplace is covid-secure and measures are in place to manage any risks.
“That way it will benefit the health of workers, customers and the local community while supporting the regional and national economy.”
The latest information and Safer Workplaces guidance can be found at www.gov.uk
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