Covid-19 Safe System of Work

People

To reduce the number of staff to site, Techtron does not permit unauthorised visitors. Contractors are permitted to visit site to undertake necessary maintenance work but must complete a contractor working agreement, permit to work and the Covid-19 questionnaire prior to their visit. Copies of these documents can be found in the office foyer and on the server in H&S folder. Visitors records are kept in the main office.

Visitors must not be led through the factory but around the outside of the building to their required location via the external pathway. All sales visits are suspended, and meetings are to be conducted online via Microsoft Teams/Zoom. Goods inward/dispatch have been re-directed to the warehouse and all paperwork is provided in advance. Collection baskets are located in the foyer for samples/post. Drivers should be asked to wait in their cabs until you are ready to load/unload the vehicle. Contact with the driver should be made using the face masks provided (N95) and social distancing must be maintained. Vehicle loading should be undertaken singularly however paired working is permitted within the warehouse. Delivery drivers wishing to use welfare facilities must be directed by warehouse staff to the canteen and must follow the notice provided.

Administration staff have been provided with equipment for homeworking and can regularly liaise with their line managers by Microsoft Teams. DSE risk assessments have been undertaken and weekly welfare meetings are conducted to ensure that employees remain up to date with business changes and head office briefings.

A reduced management structure has been implemented, a Production Supervisor is on site daily and a Duty Manager visits the site three days per week in accordance with a rota. Production meetings are to be held on the main shop floor with people distanced two metres from each other.

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Protecting Vunerable People

Health questionnaires have been conducted to identify vulnerable or shielding individuals. In consultation with the employee, furlough arrangements were made for shielding individuals to protect their welfare. All employees have been provided with Paycare details for any medical and mental health support available through the company scheme.

Emergency contact information has been collected for all employees and is stored centrally. Changes in health of an employee MUST be communicated to the management team at the earliest opportunity.

All employees have been provided with a copy of the ROH emergency measure policy and weekly ROH briefings are circulated.

Changes have been made to the statutory sick pay arrangements in line with the government advice.

Coming to, and Leaving Work

Where possible employees should park their vehicles one space away from the next car. As spaces are taken, the employees should wait until the person who arrived first to exit their car and maintain safe social distancing once disembarking.

Employees should not enter the building more than 10 minutes before their shift starts and should remain in their vehicles. Employees arriving by public transport can enter the building but should remain in the canteen until their shift commences, maintaining social distancing on the seating provided. Key holders are permitted to enter the building to open the facility in time for the shift to begin.

To reduce congestion in high traffic areas, blenders and warehousing staff are permitted to enter the building by the main office entrance.

Hand sanitisation points have been implemented at both entry/exit points and clear signage is displayed. Employee must sanitise their hands upon entry and exit from the building.

Authorised key holders are responsible for securing the business at the end of the shifts and have been provided with their own sets of keys.

Staff using public transport have been provided with three-ply masks to wear and alcohol hand gel for use when travelling to and from work.

Corporate Vehicles

Company cars are only permitted to carry two occupants unless they are from the same household. FLT can only be used by persons holding a valid license. All corporate vehicles must be sanitised at the end of each day using the cleaning products provided. Shared vehicles such as FLT should be disinfected using the cleaning wipes provided or operatives should wear the gloves provided when operating them. Cleaning instruction videos have been provided to staff responsible for these vehicles. All non-essential travel is prohibited, and meetings should be arranged via online conference facilities. No overnight stays are permitted.

Moving Around the Buildings

Permissions and restrictions
Restricted access has been implemented across the company. Access permissions are stipulated below:

Warehouse – main office, packing hall and blending hall to demarcated area.
Packing operatives – Packing hall only.
Laboratory staff – Laboratory and main office. Permissions can be granted by the GM to enter the blending hall to review blends if required.
The Production Supervisor, Duty Manager, Engineer and Quality Coordinator and permitted to enter all areas of the buildings.

Walkie talkies have been implemented to reduce traffic to all areas whilst maintaining sufficient communication.

A new sampling centre has been set up to locate and retrieve blend samples. Addition instructions must be provided through mobile communication channels.

Social Distancing

2m social distancing measures and one-way flows have been implemented where it is reasonably practicable and are marked accordingly through graphical floor displays. Production lines are clearly demarcated.

Production teams have been identified to avoid unnecessary staff rotation. These are referred to as ‘manufacturing bubbles’. Staff can only be rotated between bubbles when staff shortages cause other health and safety hazards e.g. when a lifting exercise requires two people.

Workstations have been moved apart where physically possible and graphical floor signage displays where operatives must stand. Side by side working is permitted for trigger/cap applications and visors are provided as additional PPE.

Seating plans have been implemented within the office to ensure that personnel remain 2M apart. No shared desks are permitted.

High traffic areas are regulated by staggered break times. Break times are clearly displayed on the notice board. Seating within the canteen is marked clearly. The meeting room has been opened in the office as a second canteen and is permitted for use by the blenders and warehouse staff. Additional seating is provided along the side of each building for employees to take breaks outside. Disposable or dedicated cutlery has been provided within the canteen. Staff are encouraged to stay at work during break times. Should employees go out during break times social distancing measures should be followed as advised by the Welsh Government.

Only two people are permitted to use the changing rooms at any time. Lockers are provided for personal belongings. Fabric seating has been swopped for plastic seating for hygiene reasons. Storage has been provided in the office for blenders and warehousing staff and toilet facilities can be used to get changed where required. 2M social distancing measures must be maintained when clocking in/out of the business. These measures are clearly marked on the canteen floor.

The safe walkway through the blending area does not allow for one direction flow. When passing someone on this road please keep furthest to the right and allow people to pass safely.

Cleaning, and the Workspace

Air conditioning units are only permitted for use in the laboratory to maintain stable temperatures for handling chemicals.

Air conditioning units are not permitted for use in other areas. Fans are provided which do not re-circulate air.

A part time cleaner with a cleaning schedule has been implemented to increase the cleaning frequency of commonly used surfaces/work areas.

Line leaders are responsible for cleaning and sanitising their production lines within the demarcated area. Line leaders have been provided with their own cleaning equipment for this purpose.

Desks and shared workstations such as the goods inwards desks and packing tables must be sanitised at each break time using the cleaning products provided. All workstations and desks must be left clear at the end of every shift.

Hygiene

Hand washing facilities and sanitisation stations are provided throughout the factory and clear signage is displayed at all sanitisation/hand washing points. Paper towels are provided at all hand washing points and must be put in the bin after use. Bins are emptied frequently throughout the day.

Sanitisation points must be used when entering any new departments and at break times/end of shift. Each employee has been provided with their own personal alcohol hand gel. This must not be shared. Refill points have been set up.

PPE

Visors have been provided for those people who will work within 2M from each other on the packing lines (trigger/cap application). N95 masks are provided for goods inwards/dispatch areas for people who will come into contact with members of the public. 3 ply masks have been provided for people travelling on public transport. Training on the safe use of masks has been provided through tool box talks.

Communication

Ongoing engagement with staff will remain through the current channels. Any issues should be directly escalated through line management channels. An online communications meeting is scheduled for each Friday for homeworkers, a meeting is scheduled for all onsite staff on Thursday at 4.45 on the Production Floor. ROH briefing will be circulated in paper copy for onsite workers and via electronic copy for homeworkers each week where they are provided.