0333 323 5292
Company name: Lupton Fawcett LLP
Location: All Lupton Fawcett LLP Premises
Assessment carried out by: Health & Safety Officer
Date assessment was carried out: 17 May 2021
Review This document remains under continued review
This risk assessment will be under constant review as government advice and guidance changes.
This document has been shared with all our colleagues along with our Return to Work Plan.
We will display the “Staying COVID-19 Secure in 2020” certificate in all our offices.
Managing Risk |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Hygiene | High
High |
Notices are provided around the building to encourage regular hand washing and use of hand sanitiser.
We ask that gloves only be worn for one task (to avoid cross contamination) and then disposed of. Any gloves worn outdoors must be removed after entering the building. |
| Screening | High
High |
Everyone must carry out a non-invasive temperature check before entering our offices.
Temperature checks will be privately carried out at a designated station(s) away from the working offices using an infrared thermometer. No GDPR implications arising as results are not required to be recorded.
First aid procedure in place and must be followed for any colleague who reports a temperature above 37.8c (i.e. presenting a fever and symptom of COVID-19). Where a temperature is between 37.5c and 37.7c (high temperature) colleagues are asked to retake the test after waiting 10 minutes. If the 2nd reading is similar i.e. within the same temperature range, first aid procedure in place must be followed as may be the onset of a fever and symptom of COVID-19. |
| Social distancing | High
High |
The desk arrangements will remain in place in line with government guidance.
A one way system is in place to reduce opportunity for face to face exposure. Social distancing must be maintained for any face to face internal meetings. Where numbers of attendees exceed meeting room SD capacity then MS Teams must be used for additional attendees. |
Who Should Go to Work |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Colleague attendance in the work place | High
High |
Colleagues are encouraged to return to working some of their contracted hours at the office ahead of the change of government guidance no longer advocating continuation of working from home.
Seating arrangements will be managed on an ongoing basis in line with government guidance. Where necessary colleagues may attend another office. Sufficient notice must be given to allow a desk to be booked and office attendance levels to be assessed. |
| Colleagues continuing to work from home | Low
Medium |
Once government guidance confirms working from home is no longer necessary resumption of usual working arrangements will be required. Anyone who does not have an agreed formalised agile working arrangement in place will be expected to resume working their FT contracted hours back from the office. |
| Clinically
Vulnerable colleagues |
Low | Clinically vulnerable colleagues can return to working from the office. |
| Colleagues who are self-isolating | Low
High |
Anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19 is asked not to attend the office for at least 7 days and must phone and speak with HR before returning to work at the office.
Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 or is presenting symptoms of COVID-19 is asked to stay at home for 14 days. Anyone who is self-isolating is encouraged to work from home if they are able to do so. |
| Mental health and wellbeing | Medium
High |
The firm promotes positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace and actively supports those who ask for help.
The firm offers counselling and mental health support via Aviva and WPA. |
Social Distancing at Work |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Work patterns |
|
Any changes to an individual’s working hours must first be discussed and agreed with the relevant HOD and HR advised. |
| Commuting | High
High |
Government guidance should be followed by anyone using public transport. If a colleague wishes to vary their start and finish time to avoid travelling at peak times then this should be agreed with the HOD.
Bike storage is available at all of our offices. Any available parking is on a first come first served basis. |
| Entering and exiting the building/office | High | Colleagues will be encouraged to use their key card pass to enter the building (Leeds only).
Internal door entry keypads will be sprayed weekly with an antimicrobial surface coating. Doors handles and push pads with be covered with antimicrobial surface coatings (Nanoseptic brand). Sanitising of hands on each occasion of entry and on exit is required. Where practicable the firm has implemented entry and exit only doors as part of a one way system. |
| Travelling around the building/office space | High
Medium |
A one way system is in place in all office areas to minimise opportunity for passing face to face. Sign posting is in place.
Colleagues will be asked to adhere to the one way system when around the buildings/office space. Signage to remind colleagues of 2 metre distance requirements will be in place. |
| Work stations | High
High |
Where high screens are in use face to face and side to side seating can be used. Where desks have low screens an increased social distancing spacing has been put in place with seating facing against flow of one way system to minimise risk.
Whilst social distancing remains in place there must be no use of desks that are blocked off. |
| Printing areas | Medium
High |
Social distance signage and traffic flow will be in operation. |
| Meetings and meeting room use | Medium
High |
Social distancing must be observed at all times.
Client meetings must take place in accordance with our “Client Meeting Guidance”. Colleagues must use anti-bacterial cleaner on any shared equipment they have used in the room, including tables and chair arms. |
| Communal areas in the buildings | High
High |
Entering and exiting building procedures must be followed.
Antibacterial hand wash is available in the toilets. A one way system will operate. 2 metre signage will be in use. |
| Kitchen/drink points | High
High |
Social distancing requirements in the office space must also be adhered to in the kitchen and drink points.
Gloves are available to be used. Users must wipe down the inside of the microwave once food/drink is heated. All crockery, utensils and glasses must be washed as soon as used or taken home and not left in the sink or on the work top. Colleagues must use their nearest kitchen/drink point. Signage will be displayed. |
| Social Spaces | High
High |
Social spaces will be available for use. Colleagues using these areas should be mindful of government guidance.
Following best practice those who use the space are encouraged to wipe down before and after use with antibacterial wipes or spray. |
| Refreshments | High
High |
When using the water fountains colleagues should remain mindful of cross contamination, avoiding contact with the water faucet. |
| First aid requirements for minor incidents | Medium
Low
|
The first aider should attend their colleague to provide them with a first aid kit if necessary and then remain at a 2 metre distance and talk the person though self-care.
If a first aid kit is not necessary the first aider should will talk the person though self-care on the phone. |
| First aid requirements for major incidents (heart attacks, strokes etc.) | Medium
High |
Such instances would overrule the requirement for social distancing, but first aiders must still protect themselves.
The first aider should follow the usual procedure of contacting the emergency services immediately. If the first aider feels it is safe to do so they should treat the person to the best of their ability without endangering themselves (i.e. chest compressions but not respiratory aid, defibrillator, use of PPE). If contact is made with a person, when possible the first aider must wash/sanitise their hands and dispose of PPE. Any equipment used should also be cleaned. |
| Colleagues falling ill at work with COVID-19 symptoms | Medium
High |
The person must immediately isolate in the designated room and contact a first aider who will help make arrangements for the colleague to go home.
If the colleague feels that they are seriously ill and cannot self-care they should contact emergency services or ask the first aider to do so. |
| Potential contamination in the office from someone with COVID-19 symptoms | Medium
High |
Anyone who reports that they have symptoms will be asked:
The relevant people would be contacted and asked to go home and self-isolate for 14 days. The areas that had potentially been contaminated will be cleaned in accordance with government guidance. |
| Office evacuation in an emergency | Low
High |
It is deemed that such instances would overrule the requirement for social distancing, therefore evacuation procedures will continue to remain in force.
Once at the evacuation point and safe, colleagues will be asked to try to keep at least 2 metre away from each other where possible. Colleagues will be encouraged to wear face coverings where possible and practicable and asked to follow the building entry guidelines when re-entering the building/office. |
Managing Visitors |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Clients
|
Medium
Medium |
When client meetings take place the following safety measures must be adopted:
All attendees will be required to sanitise their hands before and after the meeting. The meetings room surfaces and chair arms must be cleaned using antibacterial spray after use. Bottled water can be provided. No other refreshments should be provided. |
| Contractors | Low
High |
Where possible contractors will be asked to attend out of hours, where this is not possible they will adhere to our procedures |
| Post and deliveries | Medium
High |
All deliveries (with the exception of Royal Mail) are collected outside of our demise by a member of post room wearing gloves.
Gloves are worn at all times when handling post/deliveries/files |
Cleaning the workplace |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Ventilation | High
High |
Air conditioning will remain off to avoid air contamination around the building.
Windows will be checked to make sure adequate ventilation can be provided. |
| Office temperature
Extreme temperatures (hot or |
High
Low |
Fans/fan heaters should not be used unless the air temperature is deemed a health risk.
Oil Heaters will be provided to help increase the ambient temperature Should a cooling fan or fan heater be provided to a colleague it will be positioned so that the air is blowing directly on them and not into any other desk area or walkway. |
| Cleaning | High
High |
The communal areas will be cleaned throughout the day by the building cleaners using medical grade cleaning solutions, this includes all touch points.
Our contract cleaners clean daily out of hours using antibacterial cleaning products focusing on touch points:
Antibacterial wipes, sprays and paper towels are available to everyone to use at any time and they must be used before and after every use of equipment and quiet/meeting rooms. |
| Hygiene | High
High |
There is hand sanitiser, antibacterial hand wash, antibacterial wipes and gloves available for all colleagues to use.
Signage and notices are in place throughout the buildings to remind colleagues to wash/sanitise their hands regularly. |
| Office equipment | High
High |
A robust cleaning routine is in place between use of desks
Antibacterial wipes are available for additional cleaning throughout the office. Other equipment (e.g. binding, laminating machines) colleagues will be encouraged to limit the use of these machines and to clean the machine with antibacterial wipes before and after every use. |
| “Soft” surfaces
|
High
High |
Supply of items deemed to be soft surfaces will continue to be restricted where possible.
Gloves are available for use. |
Personal Protective Equipment |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Face coverings | Medium
High |
The use of face coverings is optional.
Signage is displayed to support colleagues in the safe use of face coverings should they chose to wear one. |
| Gloves | Medium
High |
Gloves are available for use. |
Work-related travel |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Travelling for work | High
High |
Colleagues may travel for work purposes, however government guidance must be followed at all times whilst travelling and attending external meetings. |
Communications and training |
||
Risk |
Risk and Impact |
Controls to be put in place |
| Communicating within teams and with other colleagues | Medium
High |
MS Teams is the preferred method for communications where face to face is not possible due to social distancing limitations.. |
| Communicating with the wider firm | Low
Low |
Communications relating to Covid will be published on Engage, the firms intranet.
Urgent communications will be sent by SMS. Where necessary posters, notices and signs will be placed in the offices to act as procedural reminders to colleagues. |
| Training | Medium
High |
While social distancing remains in place, where possible training, will be provided remotely using MS teams or telephone and screen sharing facilities.
Where this is not practicable separate, individual risk assessments will be carried out. |
Remember you can still call us on 0333 323 5292 or email us at law@luptonfawcett.law
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Remember you can still call us on 0333 323 5292 or email us at law@luptonfawcett.law
