Statement of Management Policy
Diaper Poultry Ltd/ J W Diaper & Sons strive to provide a safe and healthy workplace for all employees, contractors and visitors.
This policy outlines the measures we are actively taking to mitigate the spread of coronavirus within our workplace and/or workforce. It is important to note, that the business will only operate when permitted to do so under current Government guidelines.
You are required to follow all these rules diligently, in order to help us sustain a healthy and safe workplace during these unique times. It is important that we all respond responsibly and transparently to these health precautions, and we assure you that we will always treat your private health and personal data with the highest confidentiality and sensitivity.
This Coronavirus (COVID-19) company policy is susceptible to changes with the introduction of additional Governmental guidelines when necessary and will be reviewed accordingly.
The Company will keep up to date and comply with the latest Government and Public Health information about the risk of coronavirus via the relevant Government websites and Government Briefings.
The virus is most likely to spread from person to person through:
- Direct contact with a person while they are infectious;
- Contact with droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes;
- Touching objects or surfaces (such as drinking mugs, door handles or desks) that were contaminated by droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face.
Shielding of vulernable workers
Staff Health and Self-isolation
Staff who are unwell with suspected COVID-19 (symptoms of infection: – new continuous cough, fever and/or a change or loss of sense of smell and/or taste) or who share a household with someone who has any of those symptoms should not come to work but must instead comply with the latest Government advice and self-isolate in their home.
Current government guidance states that if someone has been in close contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 it is not necessary to close the business or workplace.
Affected workers will instead be told to self-isolate when they:
- have coronavirus symptoms and are awaiting a test result;
- have tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19);
- are a member of the same household as someone who has symptoms or has tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19);
- have been in close recent contact with someone who has tested positive and have received a notification to self-isolate from NHS test and trace.
All staff who are self-isolating must inform their Manager as soon as possible that they will not be coming into work. Where staff have difficulties in continuing their work as a result of shielding, childcare or other caring responsibilities, these will be discussed on an individual basis.
All staff must follow our COVID-19 Sickness Procedure if they become unwell whilst at work.
Because the virus can be contracted via the handling of contaminated objects, hand-washing is the best way to protect against COVID-19. The soaps we use can neutralize germs in our skin. In soap lather, a combination of molecules assembles into bubble-like structures that trap the virus and rinses it down the drain.
It is important to maintain high levels of personal hygiene by: –
- Washing your hands more often than usual and for 20 seconds each time, using soap and ideally warm water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, or after being in public areas. Use an approved alcohol hand sanitiser if that’s all you have access to and to supplement hand washing during the day;
- To reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue. You must throw the tissue in a bin immediately, then wash your hands or use an approved alcohol hand sanitising gel;
- Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people;
- Close the toilet seat prior to flushing the toilet;
- Open the windows in your area regularly (minimum 15 minutes opening, even when this causes some thermal discomfort) to ensure ventilation;
- Avoid touching your face, particularly eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands to prevent infection.
Staff must inform their Line Manager if they intend to travel outside the UK for personal reasons during the pandemic. Ideally only travel abroad to those countries identified by the Government as exempt is permitted. You will find the latest information on these countries on the Government’s website. Travelling in either direction between the UK and exempted countries does not require self-isolation.
If you visit a country not identified as exempted, when you arrive back, you will need to self-isolate at home (or another designated address) for 10 days and will not be permitted back at work within that timeframe.
Social distancing was introduced to reduce the spread of coronavirus infection both at work and in public. In addition to employees working from home (where possible/ practicable), the company will ensure that employees are able, where possible, to follow guidelines on social distancing within the working environment. Should it not be possible to adhere to social distancing requirements for any reason, the company will undertake specific risk assessments in consultation with the workforce for each scenario in order to determine and subsequently implement appropriate controls.
Good hand hygiene measures will be promoted throughout the company. These will include the provision of hand washing stations at strategic locations within the premises. These will be complemented by the provision of approved alcohol hand sanitising gels at other key locations. Furthermore, workers/ contractors/ visitors will be reminded of good hand washing techniques (e.g. wash hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds or using an approved alcohol hand sanitising gel).
Face coverings are not compulsory for workers, except for those who are in customer facing roles in retail, leisure and hospitality. The Government does however, generally advise wearing face coverings in enclosed public spaces where social distancing is not possible or where workers are more likely to come into contact with people they do not normally meet. As such masks should be worn in all communal areas such as the canteen, corridors and changing rooms where social distancing is difficult. We will support employees if they choose to wear a mask (in line with Food Hygiene standards) for reasons of comfort or peace of mind.
Non-essential visitors and contractors
All non-essential visitors and contractors will be prohibited on site to ensure that the threat of cross infection is minimised. Instead meetings will be held by phone or video conferencing if needed.
Any visitor or contractor visits that are deemed to be essential will be strictly managed, ensuring that the persons visiting confirm prior to the visit that they do not have any relevant symptoms or are otherwise at increased risk of cross infection. Hand washing must take place upon arrival to the business.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
All staff will be trained in the safe use of PPE, as identified in the risk assessment and in accordance with Government and Health Safety Executive guidance.