Published on 11 May

The government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible.

The guidance provides a practical framework for employers to think about what they need to do to continue or restart operations – in a safe manner and in support to workers’ health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These 8 guides cover a range of different types of work which are defined as follows:

1. Construction and other outdoor work: work involving people in construction, energy and utilities, farming and agriculture (including seasonal labour), forestry, waste management, other infrastructure, railway services and street and highway services.
2. Factories, plants and warehouses: industrial environments such as manufacturing and chemical plants, food and other large processing plants, warehouses, distribution centres and port operations.
3. Lab and Research Facilities: indoor research environments such as engineering centres, clean rooms, prototyping centres, wet labs, wind tunnels, computer labs, simulators, material development labs, specialist testing rooms and similar workplaces.
4. Offices and Contact Centres: indoor environments such as offices, contact centres, operations rooms and similar workplaces.
5. In other people’s homes: applies to those working in, visiting or delivering to home environments. These include, but are not limited to: in home workers – such as repair services and to home services – such as delivery drivers.
6. Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery: food preparation or food service setting where food is sold for takeaway or delivery and food services provided by businesses.
7. Shops and branches: include non-food stores, fashion stores and other types of retail that are currently closed and also shops that are currently open, such as shops selling food and chemists. Branches include bank branches and other open money businesses.
8. Vehicles: working in or from a vehicle includes couriers, mobile workers, lorry drivers, on-site transit and work vehicles, field forces and similar.

All guides share almost the same content with slight sector/context-specific differences. This content provides overall detailed information on:

• Thinking about risk: all employers must carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment which must be shared with their employees and managed (addressed) immediately. 
• Who should go to work: how to protect people at higher risk, determine those who need to self-isolate and deal with people who have protected characteristics.
• Social distancing at work: guidance on coming to and leaving work, moving around, workplace and workstations, meetings, common areas, accidents, security and incidents.
• Managing customers: manage customers, contacts, visitors and contractors, provide and explain guidance so as to minimise the number of unnecessary visits and contact.    
• Cleaning workplace: measures before reopening, maintaining cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation and handling goods, merchandise and other materials.    
• PPE and face coverings: following the COVID 19 personal protective equipment (PPE) plan and the guide on COVID 19 cleaning in non-healthcare settings.    
• Managing workforce: shift patterns, change to how work is organized and working groups, avoiding unnecessary work travel, communications and training.    
• Inbound and outbound goods: to maintain social-distancing and avoid surface transmission when goods enter and leave the site.

Read the full guidance on the GOV.UK website.