Shorter Reads

Coronavirus – Employers’ Health & Safety obligations

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant health and safety challenge to employers, who have a duty of care to ensure staff work in a safe environment.

1 minute read

Published 31 March 2020

Authors

Share

Key information

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant health and safety challenge to employers, who have a duty of care to ensure staff work in a safe environment. This applies to those who need to come into the workplace and those working from home.

The Health and Safety Executive advise that there should be regular contact with home workers to avoid any worker feeling isolated, which can affect stress levels and have adverse mental health consequences.

When working from home, employers should be particularly mindful of staff morale and mental health. Providing guidance, such as Collyer Bristow’s Guide to Working From Home,  and regularly checking in on them, can go a long way.

Employers should also ensure that they have an up to date home-working policy and:

  • highlight the need for rest breaks, correct posture and avoiding eye fatigue by changing focus from time to time;
  • where needed make available specialised equipment such as customised keyboards, mice and ergonomic chairs;
  • if the workplace remains open, to enhance cleaning operations to ensure all surfaces and high-contact areas such as toilets, door handles and telephones are sanitised regularly; and
  • to destroy safely all waste resulting from tissues and other materials that could carry the virus.

If a worker shows symptoms of COVID-19 then they should go home and self-isolate in order to combat the spread. Employers may wish to update their policy regarding sick pay to reflect changes to the statutory sick pay regime.

Effective communication will be key to ensuring that employees are kept abreast of developments and that they have full confidence in the measures that their employer will undoubtedly have to take to respond to the current pandemic.

If you have any questions on this topic or any other, please contact our free 30 minute Coronavirus Employment Advice Helpline and we can help you to consider the options available to you and your business.

Related latest updates
PREV NEXT

Related content

Arrow Back to Insights

Shorter Reads

Coronavirus – Employers’ Health & Safety obligations

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant health and safety challenge to employers, who have a duty of care to ensure staff work in a safe environment.

Published 31 March 2020

Associated sectors / services

Authors

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant health and safety challenge to employers, who have a duty of care to ensure staff work in a safe environment. This applies to those who need to come into the workplace and those working from home.

The Health and Safety Executive advise that there should be regular contact with home workers to avoid any worker feeling isolated, which can affect stress levels and have adverse mental health consequences.

When working from home, employers should be particularly mindful of staff morale and mental health. Providing guidance, such as Collyer Bristow’s Guide to Working From Home,  and regularly checking in on them, can go a long way.

Employers should also ensure that they have an up to date home-working policy and:

  • highlight the need for rest breaks, correct posture and avoiding eye fatigue by changing focus from time to time;
  • where needed make available specialised equipment such as customised keyboards, mice and ergonomic chairs;
  • if the workplace remains open, to enhance cleaning operations to ensure all surfaces and high-contact areas such as toilets, door handles and telephones are sanitised regularly; and
  • to destroy safely all waste resulting from tissues and other materials that could carry the virus.

If a worker shows symptoms of COVID-19 then they should go home and self-isolate in order to combat the spread. Employers may wish to update their policy regarding sick pay to reflect changes to the statutory sick pay regime.

Effective communication will be key to ensuring that employees are kept abreast of developments and that they have full confidence in the measures that their employer will undoubtedly have to take to respond to the current pandemic.

If you have any questions on this topic or any other, please contact our free 30 minute Coronavirus Employment Advice Helpline and we can help you to consider the options available to you and your business.

Associated sectors / services

Authors

Need some more information? Make an enquiry below.

    Subscribe

    Please add your details and your areas of interest below

    Specialist sectors:

    Legal services:

    Other information:

    Jurisdictions of interest to you (other than UK):

    Article contributor

    Enjoy reading our articles? why not subscribe to notifications so you’ll never miss one?

    Subscribe to our articles

    Message us on WhatsApp (calling not available)

    Please note that Collyer Bristow provides this service during office hours for general information and enquiries only and that no legal or other professional advice will be provided over the WhatsApp platform. Please also note that if you choose to use this platform your personal data is likely to be processed outside the UK and EEA, including in the US. Appropriate legal or other professional opinion should be taken before taking or omitting to take any action in respect of any specific problem. Collyer Bristow LLP accepts no liability for any loss or damage which may arise from reliance on information provided. All information will be deleted immediately upon completion of a conversation.

    I accept Close

    Close
    Scroll up
    ExpandNeed some help?Toggle

    < Back to menu

    I have an issue and need your help

    Scroll to see our A-Z list of expertise

    Get in touch

    Get in touch using our form below.



      Business Close
      Private Wealth Close
      Hot Topics Close