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Following government confirmation that England will move to the final stage of relaxing COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on 19 July, IOSH is urging employers to continue with preventative measures and proceed with caution around people returning to workplaces.
New guidance scraps the need for social distancing, but the advice remains around screens, limiting the number of work contacts and minimising movements in busy areas such as stairwells.
Dubbed 'Freedom Day', IOSH is encouraging employers to ensure they continue to put in place preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 being transmitted in their workplaces.
'Risk assessments can help to identify proportionate controls to protect workers, clients, consumers and communities, said Duncan Spencer, IOSH’s head of advice and practice. 'With COVID risks, this might include a reasonable request for people to continue wearing face masks and observe social distancing measures. Employers might wish to emulate other socially conscious organisations by asking workers to test themselves regularly, including supplying them with lateral flow test kits.
'Employers also need to consider the impact of returning to work on people’s mental health and wellbeing'
'It is crucial that any preventative measures are communicated clearly, thereby empowering people to work safely while this disease remains a significant threat.
'In addition to preventing COVID transmission, employers also need to consider the impact of returning to work on people’s mental health and wellbeing, with the possibility that staff may be deeply concerned about returning. We advocate that open and non-stigmatised conversations are proactively arranged by line managers as part of a strong overall mental health and wellbeing strategy.
'Organisations need to be safe from COVID and safe from the mental health consequences of this pandemic and the impact it has on people’s lives.'
IOSH has refreshed its COVID-19 guidance, which can be applied globally, here.
IOSH magazine's coverage of COVID is available here.