The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says that as part of managing the health and safety of your business, you must control the risks in your workplace. To do this you need to think about what might cause harm to people and decide whether you are taking reasonable steps to prevent that harm.

This is known as risk assessment and it is something you are required by law to carry out. (If you have fewer than five employees, you don’t have to write anything down.)  Everything is different since the pandemic and so it is certain that any previous policies will need revision.

The HSE advises all businesses to think about how accidents and ill health could happen and concentrate on real risks – those that are most likely, and which will cause the most harm.

How to assess the risks in your workplace

• Identify the hazards
• Decide who might be harmed and how
• Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
• Record your significant findings
• Review your assessment and update if necessary
• Who is most at risk?

Read more.

Government is clear in its advice – if you are going to re-open your business, the first thing you must do is to conduct a risk assessment.

While every business is different, there are always two things in common – the staff and the customer – both will have journeys through the premises. The main aim is to demonstrate that the business has considered the routes people take through that business and the hazard and risks encountered by both customers and the staff.

Tracing the routes that people will typically take, either to carry out their jobs or as customers, will help inform what risks from coronavirus are involved, and subsequently how to take action to reduce these risks.

For many businesses, this risk assessment document may form the basis of discussions with the local authority prior to opening, to ensure that there is agreement on the risk-based approach and controls set up.   

The NCC is working on guidance documents for both dealerships and distributors and for parks.  These will be posted on this website as soon as they are completed.