MANUFACTURING/FACILITIES – CORONAVIRUS
Watch your distance
As UK industry tries to get back to some form of working normality, social
distancing measures are still being encouraged. Adam Offord finds guidance
and products to help with social distancing in an industrial setting
As the UK lockdown over
Coronavirus continues to
ease, many workers from
across industry have begun
returning to places of work.
The government has issued guidance
on working safely during Coronavirus,
which highlights practical actions for
businesses to take. These are based
on five steps: carrying out a Covid-19
risk assessment; developing cleaning,
hand washing and hygiene procedures;
helping people to work from home
where possible; maintaining a 2m social
distancing where possible; and managing
the transmission risk where people
cannot be 2m apart (www.is.gd/gowasa).
It also offers more in-depth guidance for
a range of different types of work based
on these steps (see box).
At the time of writing this article,
prime minister Boris Johnson
commissioned a review into the 2m (6ft
6in) social distancing rule in England
(www.is.gd/yikehe), and subsequently, on
23 June, announced that the distancing
rule would change from 4 July to one
metre plus (www.is.gd/izohan). The
guidance mentioned above has since
been updated to reflect this change.
“Having considered all of the
evidence, while staying at 2m is
preferable, we can now move to 1m plus
where it is not possible for us to stay
2m apart,” said Johnson. “That means
staying 1m apart plus mitigations which
reduce the risk of transmissions.”
FACTORIES, PLANTS, WAREHOUSES
As mentioned earlier, the government
offers Coronavirus guidance for a range
of different types of work. One is for
people who work in or run factories,
plants and warehouses (www.is.gd/
uyosus). It defines these facilities
as industrial environments, such as
manufacturing and chemical plants,
food and other large processing plants,
warehouses, distribution centres and
port operations.
“This document is to help employers,
employees and the self-employed in
the UK understand how to work safely
during this pandemic, ensuring as many
people as possible comply with social
distancing guidelines: 2m apart, or 1m
with risk mitigation where 2m is not
viable, is acceptable. We hope it gives
you a practical framework to think about
what you need to do to continue, or
restart, operations during the Covid-19
pandemic,” the guidance states.
It explores the five steps mentioned
above – in the context of factories,
plants and warehouses – as well as other
key topics, such as personal protective
equipment (PPE) and face coverings,
inbound and outbound goods and
workforce management.
36 www.operationsengineer.org.uk Autumn 2020
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/
/www.operationsengineer.org.uk