Forest of Dean District Council is working with the HSE to make sure businesses are COVID-secure

We are also working alongside local public health authorities to provide proactive guidance to businesses and support the understanding of any patterns in confirmed coronavirus cases in the area.

During the checks we provide advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors. Our approach is to encourage and support 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.

Being COVID-secure means that businesses need to put adjustments in place to manage the risk and protect workers and others from coronavirus. For further information on how to manage the risk of coronavirus in different business sectors please read the government guidance.

Cllr Gwilliam, said: “We are talking to local businesses, and visiting and inspecting sites in and around the Forest of Dean to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity.

“Becoming COVID-secure needs to be the priority for all businesses in the Forest of Dean, 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 become COVID-secure. We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community.”

HSE and local authority inspectors are finding some common issues across a range of sectors that include: failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising and maintaining social distancing, and failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime particularly at busy times of the day. Its a key function of FODDC to help businesses address these issues.

Cllr Gwilliam, said: “All businesses are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced check to ensure they are COVID-secure. By helping businesses to make sure that they 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.”

For the latest information and safer business guidance, see www.gov.uk