Covid 19 Policy

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Kartell UK Ltd takes its responsibilities for premises & sites operating safely to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of spread of infection.

During this challenging period, Kartell are committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of all our employees, clients and temporary workers and follow current advice from the World Health Organisation and the UK Government on best practice.

We are committed to supporting an excellent service that is expected from us.

Whilst our work practices have necessarily been modified, we are open for business and we will continue to do everything we can to support our customer’s needs.

The Government is explicit about the importance of maintaining social distancing as a method for infection control but also strongly emphasises the need for businesses to continue operating as best they can within the guidelines to support the fight against COVID-19.  

Business sectors, including manufacturing and industry are being urged to answer the call to action by keeping essential supplies moving.   This is Kartell’s key focus.

The Management have at the first instance carefully looked at the business and enabled all those who can and who should work from home to do so. Where this has not been possible, the business has undertaken a risk assessment to make the working environment as safe as it possible can to follow the Government’s guidance on Corona Virus. The risk assessment is available on request and is reviewed on a regular basis.

Self-Isolation

Anyone who meets one of the following criteria should not come to site:

• Has a high temperature, loss of taste/smell or a new persistent cough - follow the guidance on self-isolation
• Is a vulnerable person (by virtue of their age, underlying health condition, or has a clinical condition)
• Is living with someone in self-isolation or a vulnerable person.

Procedure if Someone Falls Ill

If a worker develops a high temperature or a persistent cough while at work, they should:

• Return home immediately
• Avoid touching anything
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue and put it in a bin, or if they do not have tissues, cough and sneeze into the crook of their elbow.

They must then follow the guidance on self-isolation and not return to work until their period of self-isolation has been completed.

Travel to Work

Wherever possible workers should travel to site alone using their own transport and sites need to consider:

• Parking arrangements for additional cars and bicycles
• Other means of transport to avoid public transport e.g. cycling
• Providing hand cleaning facilities at entrances and exits.

Building Access Points

• Stop all non-essential visitors
• Introduce staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact at all times
• Monitor access points to enable social distancing
• Require all workers to wash or clean their hands before entering or leaving the site
• Allow plenty of space (two metres) between people waiting to enter site
• Regularly clean common contact surfaces in reception, office, access control and delivery areas e.g. scanners, turnstiles, screens, telephone handsets, desks, particularly during peak flow times
• Drivers should remain in their vehicles if the load will allow it and must wash or clean their hands before unloading goods and materials.

Hand Washing

• Additional hand washing facilities available
• Soap and fresh water is readily available and kept topped up at all times
• Hand sanitiser available where hand washing facilities are unavailable
• Regularly clean the hand washing facilities and check soap and sanitiser levels
• Provide suitable and sufficient rubbish bins for hand towels with regular removal and disposal.

Toilet Facilities

• Relevant signage displayed to restrict the number of people using toilet facilities at any one time  
• Relevant signage displayed to wash hands before and after using the facilities
• Sufficient rubbish bins for hand towels with regular removal and disposal available
•  

Canteens and Eating Arrangements

• Break times are staggered to reduce congestion and contact at all times
• Hand cleaning facilities or hand sanitiser are available at the entrance of any room where people eat and used by workers when entering and leaving the area
• Employees have been asked to bring pre-prepared meals and refillable drinking bottles from home
• Workers should sit 2 metres apart from each other whilst eating and avoid all contact
• Drinking water should be provided with enhanced cleaning measures of the tap mechanism introduced
• Tables should be cleaned between each use
• All rubbish should be put straight in the bin and not left for someone else to clear up
• All areas used for eating must be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each break and shift, including chairs, door handles, vending machines and payment devices.

Changing Facilities, Showers and Drying Rooms

• Staggered start and finish times have been introduced where possible to reduce congestion and contact at all times
• Cleaning of all facilities is carried out daily
• Signage is displayed to inform staff of many people can use facilities it at any one time to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres

Avoiding Close Working

There will be situations where it is not possible or safe for workers to distance themselves from each other by 1.5 metres – PPE equipment is available in this situation

General Principles

• Non-essential physical work that requires close contact between workers should not be carried out
• Work requiring skin to skin contact should not be carried out
• Plan all other work to minimise contact between workers
• Re-usable PPE should be thoroughly cleaned after use and not shared between workers
• Workstations & Desks rearranged to be 1.5M apart or positioned in way in which persons are not facing each other
• Single use PPE should be disposed of so that it cannot be reused
• Stairs should be used in preference to lifts or hoists
• Where lifts or hoists must be used:
  • Lower their capacity to reduce congestion and contact at all times
  • Regularly clean touchpoints, doors, buttons etc.
• Increase ventilation in enclosed spaces
• Regularly clean the inside of vehicle cabs and between use by different operators.

Meetings

• Virtual meetings if possible in the first instance
• Only absolutely necessary meeting participants should attend
• Attendees should be 1.5 metres apart from each other
• Rooms should be well ventilated / windows opened to allow fresh air circulation
• Consider holding meetings in open areas where possible.

Cleaning

• Enhanced cleaning procedures should be in place across the site, particularly in communal areas and at touch points including:
  • Taps and washing facilities
  • Toilet flush and seats
  • Door handles and push plates
  • Hand rails on staircases and corridors
  • Lift and hoist controls
  • Machinery and equipment controls
  • Food preparation and eating surfaces
  • Telephone equipment
  • Key boards, photocopiers and other office equipment
• Rubbish collection and storage points should be increased and emptied regularly throughout and at the end of each day.

If you would like more information about our response to covid-19, please do contact us:

Catherine Wilkins, HR Manager, Catherine@Kartelluk.com