11th May 2020
Re: Covid-19 Guidance and procedures With immediate effect
As a responsible employer Hedley Planning Services and Hedley Planning Services Yorkshire has introduced the following procedures with immediate effect:
Good Practice
- – Please ensure your contact details are up to date so that we are able to contact you during work hours or in an emergency situation;
- – If you begin to show symptoms of Covid 19, in particular a lasting cough or high temperature, please notify your line manager who will advise you to stay at home and if needs be seek medical advice. Your line manager can also advise you of the company sickness policy and procedures if this is necessary;
- – Wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds;
- – Carry a small bottle of alcohol based hand sanitiser where you are able to do so;
- – Keep all working and other surfaces disinfected and clean
Social Distancing in workplace
As planning consultants we are fortunate to be able to undertake the bulk of our work at home. For the time being we are maintaining our current working from home policy. As the lockdown begins to ease it is likely that we will see an increase in new instructions at which point it will become unavoidable that meetings and other work related tasks will need to be taken outside of the home environment. More information on social distancing in the workplace can be found at the GOV.UK website but specific to our business you must adhere to the following:
- – You must maintain a distance of 2metres between individuals. This applies to work colleagues, clients, council officials, visitors to the office and any other person you come into contact with whilst at work;
- – You should wash your hands regularly in accordance with the good practice guidance but in particular every time you blow your nose, cough or sneeze. Where hand washing facilities are not available you should use an alcohol based hand sanitiser to clean your hands;
- – Where possible you should conduct site meetings with clients and stakeholders in an outdoor environment. Where this is not possible and meetings must take place indoors, meeting attendees should be kept to a minimum, the 2 metre rule between attendees should be observed and any face to face contact should be limited to 15minuites;
- – Travel to sites, meetings or other working environments should take place individually. Your line manager can explain our company car policy to you if this is required;
- – Directors will be required to regularly communicate government guidance as it evolves and is updated in relation to Covid 19;
- – Directors will be responsible for ensuring posters and important literature that contains good practice guidance are visible and accessible in each of our two offices;
- – You will need to familiarise yourself with the policies and working practices of all of our clients and stakeholders (in particular where you are working directly on one of their projects or within their working environment) and where these differ from ours you must ensure full compliance with their working procedures.For the safety of all colleagues the procedures set out above are mandatory and must be adhered to without exception. Persistent failure to follow the rules may result in disciplinary action.
