CASTLEINCH VENUE

COVID-19 WORK SAFELY PROCEDURE

 

Castleinch Venue are committed to taking all reasonable preventative measures required to safeguard the health and safety of our employees, customers and traders at our premises during this current Covid-19 pandemic.

 

We acknowledge that this is a highly unusual and challenging time for our employees and want to thank you, for your continued support and hard work in complying with the evolving health and safety restrictions that have been necessary for us to put in place to reduce the risk of spread of Covid-19 and allow us to re-open.

 

In line with new Government guidelines published on the 9th May ‘Return to Work Safely Protocol, Covid-19 Specific National Protocol for Employers and Works’  we have developed our own specific Covid-19 Work Safely Procedure for implementation in our business in order to reduce the risk of spread of Covid-19.

 

 

  • Training & Information for Employees

 

 

  • All employees will be trained in the content of this procedure by Michael Power as part of their return to work induction.  A copy of this procedure will be provided to each employee.

 

  • The procedure is a live document and as such will be subject to regular review and update in line with Government and public health advice and guidance.  Any changes or updates to the procedure will immediately be notified to employees by Michael Power.
  • As part of our return to work plan, we have changed how we normally operate our business, the following initial changes are in place:

 

  • our venue is open to outdoor trading only, indoor trading will remain closed until further notice.
  • our restaurant will offer a limited take-away menu to customers and traders, our indoor seating area will remain closed.
  • We have put in place additional health and safety measures with regards to HSE Covid-19 signage and hand sanitising stations, upgraded all cleaning and hygiene steps for the restaurant / kitchen / toilets / offices and changed how we normally operate our business in order to comply with Covid-19 physical distancing and hygiene requirements. 
  • Any new or temporary employee to Castleinch Venue over the coming months, will be given a specific Covid-19 induction as part of their general health and safety induction on commencement of work.

 

  • Should employees have any concerns with regards to health and safety and Covid-19 prevention measures while at work, please let Michael Power know immediately.  Should employees have any concerns or queries with regards to Covid-19 and how it may specifically affect their own health or any underlying condition they may have, please contact Michael Power for information and assistance.

 

 

  • Symptoms of Covid-19 and Action to be Taken:

 

 

Common symptoms include:

 

  • high temperature (38 degrees celcius or above)

 

  • cough – this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
  • sore throat
  • shortness of breath or breathing difficulties  

 

We ask that all of our employees make themselves aware of the above symptoms and monitor their own wellbeing.

 

If you are displaying any symptoms, please do not come to work.  Self-isolate at home and contact your GP immediately for further advice.  In addition, please contact Michael Power by phone as soon as possible to let him know the reason you are absent from work.  

 

If you feel symptoms develop while at work, inform Michael Power immediately. Avoid contact with other members of staff and customers and avoid touching people, surfaces and objects as far as practical.  Following discussion with Michael, if you are feeling well enough to drive yourself home you will do so, once home you will need to self-isolate and contact your GP for further advice.

 

If you become aware that you have come into contact with a person outside of the workplace who has a confirmed case of Covid-19, please take all necessary H.S.E. advice which is to self-isolate immediately and contact you GP.  Do not come into work but please do contact Michael Power to let him know of your situation.

 

 

  • How Covid-19 Spreads and Best Ways to Prevent Spread:

 

 

Covid-19 virus is spread from people in fluid and in droplets scattered from the nose or mouth of an infected person when the person with Covid-19 coughs, sneezes or speaks.  The fluid or droplets land on objects and surfaces around the infected person.  Other people then unknowingly contaminate their hands by touching these objects or surfaces and then bring the virus into contact with their eyes, nose or mouth by touching them with their contaminated hands.

 

Covid-19 can also spread if droplets from an infected person land directly on the mucous membranes of the eye, nose or mouth of a person standing close to them.

 

Therefore, the best way to prevent person-to-person spread of Covid-19 is to:

 

  • practice excellent hand hygiene practices ie: regular washing with soap and warm water or use of alcohol based gel.
  • practice good respiratory etiquette ie: cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow or, use a disposable tissue and place it in the bin straight after use.
  • practice physical distancing ie: keep 2m apart at all times, where it is not possible to maintain a 2m distance for specific work activities, then either physical barriers are installed such as the perspex shields at our restaurant serving counter or, employees to wear face mask and safety goggles or full face shield.

 

 

  • Dealing with a Suspected Case of Covid-19 in the Workplace:

 

 

4.1 Maintaining Employee Personal Contact Logs

 

  • We ask that each employee maintain their own personal contact log, this can be as simple as a daily note at the end of each day held in your diary or in your phone, and to make their work related contacts in this log available to Michael Power on request, in the event that the employee displays symptoms of Covid-19.

 

  • Your work related personal contact log should include the names of personnel that you have come into contact with, at a distance of less than 2m for more than 15 minutes in total in 1 day, while at work.

 

4.2 In the event of a suspected case of Covid-19, Michael Power will take the following action:

 

  • arrange for appropriate thorough cleaning of the work areas, including equipment that the person may have used.
  • talk to the employee over the phone to get their workplace personal contact log  in order to facilitate contact tracing ie: names of personnel in the workplace that the person with the suspected case would have been in contact with at a distance of less than 2m for more than 15 minutes in total in 1 day, so that decisions can be taken as to whether or not other employees need to self-isolate.
  • provide advice and assistance if contacted by the HSE.

 

 

  • Hand Hygiene:

 

 

We have installed hand sanitising stations for both customer and employee use at all entry points into the building ie: restaurant and toilet facilities, as well as in the kitchen.  Employees, please wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or, with the alcohol based hand sanitiser regularly and in particular:

 

  • After coughing and sneezing
  • Before and after preparing food 
  • Before and after eating or drinking
  • When arriving and leaving the workplace  / every time you enter or exit the building
  • Before and after having a cigarette or vaping
  • When hands are dirty
  • After toilet use
  • Before and after handling stock eg: incoming food deliveries to the kitchen
  • If in contact with someone who is displaying any Covid-19 symptoms

 

Avoid touching our eyes, mouth or nose.  Do not share objects / utensils with other eg: cups, bottles, forks etc.  Use your own pen for signing documents if required.  Do not shake hands with others, use a verbal greeting only.

 

Signage is displayed in clearly visible locations to remind customers, traders and employees of hand hygiene rules.

 

 

  • Respiratory Hygiene:

 

 

Tissues are provided for your use in the kitchen and behind the serving counter.  Bins are provided in all work areas and are emptied daily.  Good respiratory hygiene includes:

 

  • coughing or sneezing into the crook of your elbow if a tissue is not quickly available
  • cough / sneeze / blow your nose into a tissue and dispose of the tissue into the the bin straight after use – immediately wash your hands with soap and water or use the hand sanitiser

 

Signage is displayed in clearly visible locations to remind customers, traders and employees of respiratory etiquette.

 

 

  • Physical Distancing:

 

 

  • All employees to maintain a 2m physical distance from one another as well as from customers as far as is practical.
  • We have installed a Perspex counter partition along the length of the restaurant serving counter to allow for physical distancing between employees and customers.
  • When working behind the serving counter, each employee will be given a work-station and must work from their designated work station eg: order taking, coffee machine, payment till, passing out food orders etc, and avoid crossing back and forward in close proximity to other counter personnel as far as practical.  Specific instruction will be given to employees by Michael Power in this regard on commencement of each shift. 
  • A one way entry / exit system for customers has been established in the restaurant with ground markings set out for customers to queue at 2m intervals.  All seating has been removed from the restaurant, restaurant service is for take-away only.  We will have a member of staff at the entry door to the restaurant to ensure there is a limited number of people queuing indoors at any one time as well as reminding customers to use the hand sanitiser on entry and stand at the 2m ground markings when queuing.
  • Outdoor seating is provided for customer use, all tables have been set up with a minimum 2m distance between them, including allowance for chairs around the tables.

 

  • All of the trading stalls out in the yard will have at least a 2m physical distance between each stall.
  • Signage is provided at each trading stall as well as around the grounds to remind all visitors / customers of the 2m physical distancing rule and not to stand around in groups.
  • We will have designated personnel ‘lead worker representatives’ monitoring the outdoor trading area to ensure social distancing practices are being adhered to.  These designated personnel will be clearly identifiable by means of a yellow high-vis vest with the 2m physical distancing reminder on it.
  • Large safety signage will be clearly displayed on entry to the car park and around the premises to remind customers of Covid-19 compliance measures on site.

 

  • To aid in physical distancing employee morning and lunch breaks will be staggered to ensure distancing can be maintained in designated rest-break area.

 

  • Office work has been established to avoid multiple occupancy of offices.  Office personnel to sanitise their workstation throughout the working day as well as at the end of each work day. 

 

 

  • Use of Personal Protective Equipment:

 

 

Michael Power maintains a stock of face masks, face shields, safety goggles and disposable gloves for those that are required to use them as part of their work activities, a stock of cleaning and sanitising products is also maintained.  

 

Employees should note that for the wearing of face masks they must be clean-shaven.  Employees will be advised in the correct use and disposal of face masks as well as the correct cleaning of safety goggles and face shields.

 

While PPE can help minimise the risk of exposure in some instances, it must not be used in place of other preventative measures such as hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and physical distancing.

 

 

  • Provision of First Aid

 

 

Prior to an employee / first aid personnel providing first aid treatment, they must take the following steps to ensure Covid-19 prevention measures are adhered to:

 

  • Wash hands or use an alcohol gel to clean hands before treatment
  • Remember do not touch your face with your hands during first aid treatment
  • Wear disposable P2 face mask
  • Wear full face shield or safety goggles
  • Wear disposable gloves, do not touch a wound with your bare hand
  • Do not touch any part of a dressing that will come in contact with a wound.
  • Dispose of waste eg: wound dressing, disposable gloves, disposable mask etc  into a designated waste bag or bin. 
  • Immediately after treatment, wash your hands or use an alcohol gel to clean hands.

 

Note: As covid-19 infects through contact with mucous membranes, all first aid personnel must wear a P2 mask during first aid treatment. In the event of CPR being required, compression based CPR only to be applied as per Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council Advisory Note V1.

 

 

  • Monitoring Customer Entry 

 

 

  • Customers are only permitted to access the premises by the designated car park entry point.
  • A member of staff will remain in the security hut at the car park entry point at all times in order to monitor customer entry numbers to site.  This staff member will maintain radio contact with Michael Power, who will be monitoring customer numbers around the trading area to ensure physical distancing can be maintained.
  • In addition, another staff member will patrol the car park area to ensure social distancing and to inform customers of the correct entry and exit routes for the trading area.
  • A staff member will be placed at the car exit point to keep count of cars exiting the premises, this person will also be in radio contact with Michael and security hut staff member.
  • Michael Power will give the direction to put in place a car queuing system for entry to the site, if customer numbers start to build to a point where any further customer entry would put the ability to maintain 2m physical distancing around the trading areas at risk.

 

  • Cleaning Down of Work Surfaces / Work Areas

 

 

  • Use the hand sanitisers on entry to work areas.

 

  • All door handles and regularly used surfaces in the toilets, restaurant and kitchen will be cleaned and sanitised regularly throughout the day by designated persons appointed by Michael Power at the beginning of each shift.
  • All hand sanitising units will be checked using a rota system throughout the day by designated personnel appointed by Michael Power at the beginning of each shift.
  • All customer and employee locations ie: toilets, restaurant, kitchen, entry and exit doors and door handles will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised at the end of each working day.
  • Sanitising wipes, sanitising spray and alcohol gel hand cleaners are provided in each work location.  Should additional stock be required please let Michael know immediately.

 

 

  • Implementing Covid-19  Work Safely Procedure:

 

 

Michael Power is the site Covid Compliance Officer and will nominate ‘lead worker representatives’ at the beginning of each shift to assist him in ensuring Covid-19 safety precautions along with this Work Safely Procedure are fully implemented in all areas on site as well as, ensuring that the relevant precautions and procedures are adhered to by both employees, traders and customers.  

 

Lead worker representatives will be given specific instruction in how to carry out their duties at the beginning of each shift.  They will be clearly identifiable by means of a yellow high-vis vest with the 2m physical distancing reminder on it.

 

All employees will be required to complete a return to work ‘workplace declaration form’ at least 3 days prior to returning to work.  In addition, employees will be trained by their Manager in this Covid 19-Work Safely Procedure, employees will be required to sign off on their attendance at the briefing as well as understanding and agreeing to our Covid-19 Work Safely Procedure.

 

All traders will be required to complete the ‘workplace declaration form’ each Sunday on arrival to the premises.

 

As the information and advice issued by the Government continues to evolve over the coming weeks and months, we may need to make updates to our procedure to reflect any such advice eg: temperature taking in line with public health advice.  Therefore it should be noted that the attached procedure is subject to change, employees will be briefed in any changes to the document by Michael Power.

 

All employees have a duty of care towards themselves as well as a legal responsibility, to comply with all safety precautions and procedures implemented in each branch in order to ensure their own health and safety, that of their co-workers and to reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19.  It is the responsibility of each individual employee to ensure they continue to strictly adhere to H.S.E guidelines