Sheffield council working with businesses to ensure they are COVID-secure

Being COVID-secure means that businesses need to put adjustments in place to manage the risk and protect workers and others from coronavirus. The Government has set out guidance on how businesses should do this and the Council is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to make sure that businesses are applying the guidance to their activity.

The checks will also help to support local public health understanding of any patterns in confirmed coronavirus cases in the area.

To ensure that local businesses are operating safely, the council is carrying out checks to provide businesses with advice and guidance on how to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors. Where businesses are found not to be following Covid-19 regulations, action will be taken to make the premises safe. This can range from the provision of specific advice to a business and stopping certain work practices, to the issuing of enforcement notices. Businesses who fail to comply with these measures could be prosecuted.

Part of the guidance given to businesses is on the requirement for many venues to display a QR poster for the NHS COVID-19 test and trace app, which is mandatory. Sectors that are legally required to display the QR codes include: hospitality, leisure and tourism, and close contact services such as hairdressers.

Mark Jones, cabinet member for environment, streetscene and climate change at Sheffield City Council said: “It is really important that businesses have the right guidance and understand the changes they need to make to be COVID-secure and operating safely.

“We are talking to local businesses and inspecting sites across Sheffield to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity.

“All businesses are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced check to ensure they are COVID-secure. By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we are working to support both the health of our community and the economy.”

FROM THE EDITOR

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