Latest Government updates to Guidance relevant to Business owners, Leaders and Managers

Updated Friday 17th and weekend 18th and 19th

New plans to ensure pubs, restaurants and cafes offer both smoking and non-smoking outdoor options

People using pubs, restaurants and cafes will soon have greater freedom to choose non-smoking outdoor areas following an amendment tabled today to legislation in Parliament. Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do

Frequently asked questions on what you can and can’t do during the coronavirus outbreak. Changes have been made -
updated to align with latest announcements. Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

Local authority powers to impose restrictions under coronavirus regulations

Supports the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 that come into force on 18 July 2020.  Please read this link as with the risk of track and trace and local authority powers to restrict access or Close premises if there is an outbreak is another reason why your return to work plan needs to minimise staff contact, stagger shorts, create new working hours to reduce all staff being in the office at the same time.

On 18 July 2020, legislation to grant local authorities new powers to respond to a serious and imminent threat to public health and to prevent COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) transmission in a local authority’s area where this is necessary and proportionate to manage spread of the coronavirus in the local authority’s area will take effect. These regulations include powers for local authorities to:

• restrict access to, or close, individual premises
• prohibit certain events (or types of event) from taking place
• restrict access to, or close, public outdoor places (or types of outdoor public places)

Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

Hospitality and Event Sector

COVID-19: Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships.
This guidance is designed to assist people planning to get married or form a civil partnership in England.

Change made
Amended to show that from 1 August, small wedding receptions will be able to take place – this means sit-down meals for no more than 30 people, subject to COVID-19 Secure guidance. Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

A reminder of Social Distancing guidance for us all, personal and Business related.

Staying alert and safe (social distancing)

The most important thing we can do is to stay alert, control the virus, and in doing so, save lives.

Update 17TH July:  

From 1 August, subject to rates of transmission closer to the time:

employers will have more discretion, in consultation with their employees, on how to ensure people can work safely - working from home is one way to do this, but workplaces can also be made safe by following COVID-19 Secure guidelines

Note’ Follow the link for all the detail, this applies to England only. Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

Business events and conferences given go-ahead to resume from 1 October

Business events and conferences will be permitted to resume from 1 October provided rates of infection remain at current levels. 

Business events, conferences and events centres will be given the go-ahead to reopen on 1 October adhering to social distancing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced today. 

Provided levels of infection remain at current rates, this will see the return of the sector worth approximately £32.6 billion to the UK each year.  Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Summary as of Friday 17th
Find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

Change made
Hotels and other guest accommodation – Updated to include guidance on business events and meetings (section 2.3.2).

Walking, cycling, and travelling in vehicles or on public transport during the coronavirus outbreak.
Latest advice on using transport and information on upcoming changes to face covering rules in shops and supermarkets

Read the updated guidance on the Gov.uk website. 

We would end this summary of the latest guidance updates with a cautionary note:

There are many reasons why a return to work is desirable, with the guidance providing greater discretion for businesses to return from August the 1st subject to the R-value at the time, the increasing requests from staff eager to get out of the home and return to a more social working environment coupled with the desire to “return to normal” for many business owners , you would be forgiven if we all simply opened our offices up and gave up the relative safety of home working…. HOWEVER,

The guidance is still quite clear in terms of what business owners, leaders and managers have to implement to create a COVID-19 secure workplace, along with modified policies and procedures that take account of any mitigating controls your Risk Assessments have identified. Track and Trace may have mixed reviews but should you return your staff to work without controls, particularly in limiting your staff to exposure to each other, businesses run the real risk of closure due to mass self-isolating requests due to one or more staff members either contracting COVID-19 or being in contact with someone outside the business.

There is also increasing pressure on the HSE and local councils to “visit business premises” expected or reported to be not following the guidance. Unions will also be supporting whistleblowing by staff in these cases.

A return to work, for many, will be straight forward, if you follow the guidance and implement the controls expected.  If you need support and guidance please contact our office and we can discuss how our expert teams can support you both HR and Health and Safety.

Existing clients contact your lead consultant unless you already have a date agreed for a covid-19 remote audit meeting.

We are here to help business owners, leaders and managers, you are not alone. Talk to us. We are here to listen and help.

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