Businesses in Nuneaton and Bedworth told to keep up standards on Covid policies

Spot checks are on the agenda for businesses of all shapes and sizes to check they are working safely to manage the risk of spreading Covid - with keeping up cleaning standards at busy times being flagged as a possible issue.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Council is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to contact businesses across the borough to check they have effective measures in place.

The council is also working alongside public health authorities to support the understanding of any patterns in confirmed coronavirus cases in the area.

A borough council spokesman said today, Monday: "During the checks we provide advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors but where some businesses are not managing this, we will take immediate action. This can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe and, where businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.

"Working to manage the transmission of Covid means that businesses need to conduct a risk assessment to understand the measures they may require to protect workers and others from coronavirus."

The government updated its advice last week and full details are available here: www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19/updatesAs part of its activity, the HSE will also check that businesses have measures in place to both manage work-related stress and to support workers. Where stress may be a problem, employers should include it in their risk assessment and take action to tackle it.

Leader of the borough council, Cllr Kristofer Wilson, said: “We are talking to local businesses, and visiting and inspecting sites in and around the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth 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 and protect people from coronavirus.

"This means making business adjustments to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace. We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the community."

The HSE and local authority inspectors have found some common issues across a range of sectors that include failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising, and maintaining and failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime particularly at busy times of the day.

Cllr Wilson added: “Businesses of any size, in any sector, can receive an unannounced check to ensure they are working safely to manage the risk of spreading Covid. By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we can benefit the health of the local community as well as support the local and national UK economy.”