Council working with HSE to make Peterborough area workplaces COVID secure

With Covid-19 cases in Lincolnshire said to be reducing at a slower rate than the rest of the UK - potentially due to ongoing transmission and infections within the workforce in food-related and other essential industries in the county - authorities are making sure everyone is doing everything you can to stop the spread.

It follows work done by the council’s Environmental Health team with high street, hospitality, and retail businesses to ensure that they are following Government Coronavirus guidance to protect staff and visitors.

Progress through the government’s stages of easing restrictions relies on everyone following the existing regulations.

The HSE is carrying out phone assessments offering advice and guidance on managing risk and protecting workers to help maintain compliance levels within commercial estate areas in the likes of Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping. SKDC will follow up with visits when needed in council-regulated premises.

Businesses of any size, in any sector, can receive an unannounced check from HSE or council officers to ensure Covid-compliance.

While many businesses are compliant, issues across a range of sectors have been found including failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, failing to supervise and maintain social distancing, and failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime, particularly at busy times of the day.

Any business not complying will receive specific advice and an enforcement notice, with the potential to halt work until they are made safe and, where businesses fail to comply, possible prosecution.

Coun Peter Moseley, SKDC Cabinet member for Commercial and Operations, said: “We are making clear progress in tackling the pandemic and our thanks go to every business which is operating under correct guidelines. It is still really important, however, that we continue to manage the Covid risk to ensure that the progress continues.

“We are talking to businesses across the district to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity.

“It is a legal duty for businesses to protect their workers and others from harm and this includes taking reasonable steps to control the risk, protect people from coronavirus and that means making business adjustments to ensure they are Covid-secure.

“This way we can benefit the health of the whole local community as well as support the local and national UK economy.”

For further information on how to manage the risk of Coronavirus in different business sectors follow this link: government guidance.