Covid-secure
compliance
Last updated 11 January 2021
One of the key requirements of the Government’s Covid-secure guidelines - aimed at helping employers work safely during the Covid-19 pandemic - is the need for employers to carry out Covid-19 risk assessments, and publish the results of those assessments online.
All employers have a legal duty under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to conduct such a risk assessment; the publication of our assessment results, while non-statutory at present, is good practice in the current circumstances.
As City Catering has multiple locations, we are publishing our overarching results, rather than site-specific risk-assessment results; our site-specific risk assessments will be retained should they be required by a regulator in the future.
Below, we have published the risks we have identified in our assessment process, and the practical steps we are taking to minimise those risks. The sections below include the following:
If you require additional information, please contact head office on 02380 332226, where we will direct you to the correct team. You can also find Government information and resources online here, or via the HSE here. Thank you.
Risks identified and practical steps to minimise them
Risk: Coronavirus contagion due to lack of training/awareness >>
Each unit/location team to receive a briefing from Operational Management personnel on their site-specific Covid-secure risk assessment and the operational requirements of their unit; training logs to be completed
Units not permitted to operate until the due-diligence process is completed and signed off
Each unit to retain a copy of their completed and signed risk assessment for reference and on-site inspection
Risk: Coronavirus contagion in our offices
Staff to work from home as a first option, and use remote-working tools to avoid in-person meetings wherever possible
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all office staff
Hand sanitiser to be accessible to all office staff
Work surfaces and hard surfaces - including handles, buttons, switches, kitchens - to be washed, sanitised and disinfected prior to use; PPE to be worn for this process, and disposed of immediately afterwards in line with unit Covid-waste-disposal instructions, including hand-wash protocols
Desks and tables to be positioned 2m apart; where this is not possible, protective screens to be used divide desks
Floor markings and signage to be used to reduce congestion
Teams to operate in fixed teams/bubbles, as far as possible, and restrict their activities to their assigned space(s)
Social distancing to be observed when:
working with colleagues, using back-to-back or side-by-side working rather than face-to-face working wherever possible; activity time to kept to a minimum
receiving during deliveries; appropriate PPE to be worn and immediately disposed of afterwards in line with office Covid-waste-disposal instructions, including hand-wash protocols
moving about the building and in shared spaced; where social distancing isn’t possible and where staff come into contact with people they do not normally meet (e.g. reception areas, communal facilities and stairways)
Social distancing issues to be escalated to office-management personnel immediately
Office ventilation to be optimised
Voices not to be unduly raised, to help reduce transmission risk
Documents and equipment not to be shared
Risk: Coronavirus contagion occurrence in our kitchens >>
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all unit staff
Revised instructions to be provided to all unit staff on the sanitisation of surfaces and food-preparation areas/equipment, including the use of PPE. Staff are not permitted to carry out their duties without the appropriate PPE
Viral disinfectant to be incorporated into cleaning regime - with accompanying instructions for use. High-use/touch areas of the unit to be paid particular attention.
Disposable PPE to be worn when sanitising and disinfecting the workspace; separate PPE to be worn for other areas; PPE disposal facilities and instructions to be provided/trained in
Existing hand wash and uniform-changing procedures to be re-briefed to all teams; one person at a time to be permitted in changing areas
Risk: Coronavirus contagion occurrence from kitchen deliveries >>
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all staff
Social distancing guidelines to be observed during the delivery process
Appropriate PPE to be worn while receiving deliveries, and immediately disposed of afterwards in line with unit Covid-waste-disposal instructions, including hand-wash protocols
Fresh fruit and vegetables to be washed and decanted into washed and sanitised containers
Packaging on dry goods to be removed and disposed of securely
Dry goods without packaging to be sanitised before storage
Packaging on frozen foods to be removed and disposed of securely
Packaging on non-consumable goods to be removed and disposed of securely
Hand-wash protocols to be observed before and after deliveries are processed
Areas that have come into contact with deliveries to be washed, sanitised, and, disinfected after the delivery process is completed
Risk: Coronavirus contagion during food preparation >>
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all staff
Social distancing guidelines to be observed during food preparation - facing away rather than towards others while working. Social distancing issues to be escalated to Operational Management personnel immediately
PPE used for sanitising and disinfecting to be removed and disposed of before food preparation begins, in line with unit Covid-waste-disposal instructions, including hand-wash protocols
Surfaces and food-preparation equipment to be washed and sanitised before use
Access to the kitchen to be minimised for non-kitchen staff; areas that come into contact with items or people entering the kitchen during food preparation to be newly washed, sanitised and disinfected
During food preparation, teams to wear disposable or freshly laundered aprons, and follow standard hand-wash protocols. If for any reason there is no access to water and antibacterial soap, hand sanitiser to be used.
Risk: Coronavirus contagion during on-site food service >>
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all staff
Dining room/area equipment to be washed, sanitised and disinfected before daily use and between each group’s use
Appropriate PPE to be worn during dining room cleaning, and immediately disposed of afterwards in line with unit Covid-waste-disposal instructions
Dining room seating and food-service queues to be arranged/organised to allow social distancing, with appropriate floor markings in place
Sanitiser to be accessible at all servery points
Self-service salad bars not to be used until further notice
Diner circulation/movement around the dining space to be agreed with site management staff prior to service; social distancing issues to be escalated to Operational Management personnel immediately
Risk: Coronavirus contagion during food deliveries >>
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all staff
One person per delivery vehicle, unless large enough to maintain social distancing within the cab
Hand sanitiser to be accessible for all delivery staff
Insulated boxes for transported meals to be washed, sanitised and disinfected before leaving and after arriving back at the unit
Food deliveries to be made while ensuring 2-metre social distancing
Where social distancing is not possible during delivery (e.g. due to customer infirmity), contact time to be kept to an absolute minimum and delivery personnel to stay particularly alert. Hands to be sanitised and gloves disposed of before leaving the delivery location
Hand-wash protocols to be followed between deliveries
PPE to be worn during deliveries; when entering an indoor space, a face mask must also be worn
Risk: Coronavirus contagion where there is a confirmed or suspected case
Surgical-grade RII face masks to be worn by all staff
All staff to put on PPE, and cease any food production or service immediately
Situation to be escalated to onsite and Operational Management personnel immediately
Current Government guidelines to be briefed to the team by Operational Management personnel immediately, with instructions re self-isolation, track & trace, and controlling the risk of contagion.
Unit/location to be cleaned with detergent, sanitiser and viral disinfectant; PPE to be disposed of afterwards in line with unit Covid-waste-disposal instructions, including hand-wash protocols.
Risk: Severe illness due to Coronavirus contagion for those with pre-existing medical conditions returning to work >>
HR and Operational Managers to review (and continue to review) each individual employee’s circumstances, on a case by case basis
Shielded employees not to attend work in any circumstances, until given medical clearance to do so
If you require additional information, please contact head office on 02380 332226, where we will direct you to the correct team. You can also find Government information and resources online here, or via the HSE here.
Thank you.