On 7th April 2020, the government produced a document containing guidance for specific sectors on how to implement social distancing. As GMB Reps and members we wanted you to have a better idea of how these documents should be implemented by your employers, so we decided to produce this short guide. You can use it to check that your employer is doing all they should be, to protect you as much as reasonably possible.
Waste management is an important service that should continue but in accordance with the social distancing guidelines wherever possible. The Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) have published further advice relating to COVID-19 and the waste management industry.
Where work must carry on and workers are unable to keep a 2 metre distance from each other at all times, in spite of other control measures implemented; then the Employer should complete a risk assessment and look at providing suitable PPE. This should consider whether face masks, gloves, eye protection and coveralls are needed to provide further protection.
Workplaces will need extra supplies of soap, hand sanitiser and paper towels, and these should be securely stored
With cafés and restaurants having been closed across the UK, canteens cannot operate as normal. Whilst there is a requirement for workplaces to provide a means of heating food and making hot drinks, these are exceptional circumstances and where it is not possible to introduce a means of keeping equipment clean between use, kettles, microwaves etc. must be removed from use. The workers should also be required to stay on site once they have entered it and not use local shops.
There will be situations where it is not possible or safe for workers to distance themselves from each other by two metres.
General Principles:
Regularly clean the inside of vehicle cabs and between use by different operators