COVID-19 Employee Risk Assessment Template



COVID-19 RISK REDUCTION FRAMEWORK FOR COUNCIL EMPLOYEESIn line with national guidance, Southampton City Council is doing all that it can to enable employees to work from home where their job can be undertaken remotely and in some cases manager’s may decide this remains the best option for some or all of their employees.However, where it is decided that employees are expected to attend work, consideration needs to be given to members of staff who may be within the clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable group and/or Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups and the latest government advice on whether they can return to work should be adhered to, and where appropriate a risk assessment completed so that adequate controls are put in place to reduce risks to as low a level as possible. You must ensure that all staff are informed by all appropriate means including verbal update and team emails that the risk assessment is available and they can arrange with you or a delegated person to complete the risk assessment.This is a collaborative process and staff members of BAME background as well as those who are classed as vulnerable due to an underlying medical condition or pregnancy are all encouraged to review the risk assessment. The staff member can arrange a meeting with their manager to complete the risk assessment if they wish.If managers identify that an employee is at increased risks from COVID-19, especially in relation to the work being carried out, but has not requested a risk assessment, they should consider whether the risks are sufficient for them to raise this with the employee in a sensitive manner to discuss and agree whether a full risk assessment is required.The table below has been created to help managers identify if they have staff who fall into a clinically vulnerable category, and whether their risk could be increased by the work they carry out. It also provides some examples of controls to reduce risk. It is not the case that all those who are considered vulnerable, including BAME employees, need to work from home. It may be easily possible to introduce appropriate controls to allow them to work safely in the workplace. However, if this is not the case or if there is no real need for them to be in the workplace, it is perfectly acceptable for them to continue to work from home if their role allows this or if not, perhaps they can be redeployed or additional suitable controls implemented to reduce their risks to an acceptable level.It should be noted, that the examples in the table below are not exhaustive, they are meant as a prompt for managers and interventions will vary to some extend dependant on the setting, role, team and individual circumstances.Staff should be made aware that if their circumstances change (for example a staff member notifies you that they are pregnant or other new information becomes available) they should ensure their manager is kept informed.A Risk Assessment template is available on the H&S Intranet. Further guidance on risk assessment can be found in SWP Risk Assessment and further information on Covid-19 (coronavirus) can be found on the COVID-19 Microsite.The aim of the risk assessment is to ensure those who may be particularly vulnerable to severe illness from the virus are not put at unnecessary further risk through their work, and for further adequate controls to be implemented to reduce the risk of covid-19 transmission to an acceptable level.The Individual – Does the employee have any of the risk factors below (they may have more than one)?Their Role – Does their work put them at further risk?Possible Controls – What controls might be put in place to reduce risks?If any of the below apply, managers should consider if there is further risk from the work being carried out by the person.If any of the below apply, managers should consider suitable controls to reduce risks to an acceptable level through a specific risk assessment.If risks cannot be reduced to an acceptable level through the below or other controls, it may be necessary for the employee to be advised to refrain from work until such time as they can return to their own or another role safely.Black, Asian or other ethnic minority background. Vulnerable due to an auto-immune deficiency, including cancer treatmentsVulnerable due to an underlying health condition, such as; heart disease, Diabetes, Asthma or other chronic respiratory illness such as COPD.Having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40 (NHS BMI Calculator). Being Pregnant. If a member of staff is in their third trimester (more than 28 weeks’ pregnant), or has an underlying health condition (such as heart or lung disease), they should work from home where possible, avoid contact with anyone with symptoms of coronavirus, and significantly reduce unnecessary social contact (link, including advice for 1st and 2nd trimesters).Age i.e. increasing risk with age, with more national guidance advising that those that are 70 years of age or older are particularly vulnerable.Any other reason they may be considered particularly at risk including a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections or are taking medicine that can affect immune system.Any person in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and has been shielding (they will have received a shielding letter).Close contact with the public through;Public facing roles such as in museums, libraries, art galleries etc.?Public facing roles such are parking enforcement, housing maintenance, refuse or cleaning operatives?Needing to visit people in their homes such as repair services? Potential contact with the virus through handling infected surfaces or items, such as cleaning, deliveries or maintenance, or handling money?Providing direct care to people as part of their work, i.e. care of the elderly, young or vulnerable?Needing to work in groups or teams with people outside of their household.Can they work from home?Can they be moved to work in a less risky area, i.e. back office away from public facing roles, until it is safe to return to their normal role?Can the activity time be kept as short as possible? (Under the NHS Test and Trace service, a person is treated as a “direct contact” if they have been in close contact (within 2 metres) of a confirmed COVID-19 case for longer than 15 minutes. Can screens or barriers be used?Can people work back to back or side to side?Can you stagger arrival and departure times?Can you reduce the number of people each person has contact with? Provide ways to increase frequency of hand washing with soap and water, or hand sanitiser with a least 60% alcohol content where water and soap are not available. Provide ways to increase the frequency of cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and objects.If the person needs to work within 2 metres of another member of staff or in a public facing role, please refer to the SCC recommendations on the use of PPE in non-health and social care settings to determine whether the use of PPE is appropriate. For those in a clinical or caring role (i.e. adult social care) the relevant national guidance on PPE should be utilised. Staff Member Name:Role:Date of Assessment:Manager Name:Team:Date of Review:COVID-19 Transmission Risk:Clinical Vulnerability Staff Group:Staff Group Risk Assessment:Individuals without additional risk factors in the clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable groupsLow RiskNational guidance advises that those in BAME communities are at higher risk due to being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Clinical vulnerability is multi-factorial, involving or dependent on a number of different factors, including genetic and environmental factorsNational guidance advises that people of moderate risk from coronavirus include people who:are from BAME communitiesare 70 or olderhave a lung condition that's not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)have heart disease (such as heart failure)have diabeteshave chronic kidney diseasehave liver disease (such as hepatitis)have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson's disease,?motor neurone disease,?multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy)have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infectionsare taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or above (NHS BMI Calculator) are pregnant Moderate RiskPeople at high risk (clinically extremely vulnerable)have had an organ transplantare having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapyare having an intense course of radiotherapy (radical radiotherapy) for lung cancerare having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system (such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors)have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppressant medicinehave been told by a doctor they have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD)have a condition that means they have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell)are taking medicine that makes them much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids or immunosuppressant medicine)have a serious heart condition and are pregnantPeople in this clinically extremely vulnerable group have been asked to follow shielding guidance which is being regularly updated. RiskAssessment OverviewCOVID-19 Transmission Risk:High FORMCHECKBOX Moderate FORMCHECKBOX Low FORMCHECKBOX Clinical Vulnerability Staff Group:High FORMCHECKBOX Moderate FORMCHECKBOX Low FORMCHECKBOX Suggested additional control measures managers may want to consider for individual risk assessments:RedeploymentReasonable adjustments to role to reduce contact with clientsReasonable adjustments to role to reduce/avoid public transportProvision of physical barriers, Perspex screens for customer facing rolesProvision of hand sanitiser where access to hand washing is unavailable or limitedPPE – This section applies where PPE are identified as necessary control measures, where staff are in roles that require them to work within 2 metres of another colleague and/or member of the public FORMCHECKBOX Staff member trained in the use of PPENotes: FORMCHECKBOX Staff member is confident and competent in using any required PPE FORMCHECKBOX Required PPE is available at all times that it is neededComments/Observations:National Guidance:Working Safely During COVID-19:- steps to working safelyClose contact servicesConstruction and other outdoor workFactories, plant and warehousesHeritage locationsHotels and other guest accommodationLabs and research facilitiesOffices and contact centresOther people’s homesRestaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway servicesShops and branchesVehiclesThe visitor economyOnce completed provide a copy to the staff member, Corporate H&S Service, and upload a copy onto their record in Business World as a Health and Safety document. It is the manager’s responsibility to keep the risk assessment under review.If the member of staff wishes to continue working in moderate/high risk area despite vulnerability this should be documented above (Comments/Observations). ................
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