For anyone worried about taking steady steps out of lockdown, or if you’re starting the process of building leads to help grow momentum, you can do a lot worse than taking a look at your local Chamber of Commerce.
Cambridgeshire Chamber has been absolutely excellent! John Bridge OBE, Cambridgeshire Chamber’s CEO, has an uncanny knack of knowing what’s worrying local membership the most and as if by magic, something appears in the inbox to help.
Most SME’s will be thinking about how they’ll begin building leads to get off the starting blocks. However, the practicalities of dealing with the risk of Coronavirus are complex and loaded with potential risk.
We’re sharing the latest guidance below. Including a helpful summary of business owners legal obligations.
Well done Cambridgeshire Chamber and thank you!
Click here for information on the more detailed sector safe workplace guidance released by the government.
To assist, the Chamber has highlighted the following points from the guidance:
Legal obligations
- The guidance is not statutory – it is described as a practical ‘framework’ for businesses to think about what is needed to continue or restart operations during the pandemic
- It gives practical considerations of how this can be applied in workplaces and businesses will need to translate into specific actions depending on the nature of their business
- The guidance does not supersede any legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment, or equalities. It is important that businesses and/or employers continue to comply with existing obligations, including relating to individuals with protected characteristics
- The government is clear that workers should not be forced into an unsafe workplace
- Businesses should share the results of their risk assessment with their workforce. If possible, they are encouraged to consider publishing the results on their website (and there is an expectation that all businesses with over 50 workers would do so).
Risk Assessments
- All businesses will need to carry out an appropriate Coronavirus risk assessment in ‘consultation with unions and workers’
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has provided best practice risk assessments
- Businesses will need to do everything reasonably practicable to minimise risk to workers, although it is clear that the risk of Coronavirus cannot be eliminated completely. The business will need to manage risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level by taking preventative measures
- Generally, if businesses read the guidance, undertake a risk assessment and take steps to minimise risks they will have taken reasonable steps
- There is a 5 point notice for display in the workplace indicating that a business has completed a risk assessment and taken steps to protect their workforce.
Enforcement
- The actions the HSE can take ranges from the provision of specific advice to employers, through to issuing enforcement notices to help secure improvements
- There is a mechanism for employees to report poor practice.
In addition, to summarise what you can and can’t do, FAQ’s have also been published based on the new guidance.
Chamber Summary of Government Guidance for Business
For further help, a summary of government guidance for business can be found here.
Other essential information links on all aspects can be found at Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Coronavirus Hub and at the British Chambers of Commerce Coronavirus Hub