To complete advice for COVID-19 vulnerable groups, individual vulnerability factors as well as workplace factors need to be assessed. This risk assessment approach for workplace factors may assist with this process.
COVID-19 transmission risk mainly arises from:
Aerosol spread can occur mainly in healthcare settings and AGPs would be regarded as high risk.The Risk Factors outline situations related to work whereby the risk of exposure to infection can occur. This list is not exhaustive, and the notes provide some background information.
A workplace risk assessment is required to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken by employers to reduce the risk of COVID-19-19 transmission in the course of work. The lowest risk position is likely to be working from home albeit there are many occupations whereby this is not reasonably practicable.
Framework for workplace COVID-19- risk
|
|
|
Based on risk after control measures are implemented |
|||
|
Risk ID |
Risk Factors |
Very Low * |
Standard |
Medium |
High |
|
1 |
Patient/Service user/Public Facing |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
Ability to maintain social distancing at work >2m |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
Number of different people sharing the workplace |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
Travel to and from work |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
Workplace entry and exit |
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
Availability and use of PPE |
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
Ability to maintain hand hygiene |
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
Workplace environment cleanliness control |
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
Ability to avoid symptomatic people |
|
|
|
|
*a very low risk environment is likely to be home working or isolated, non-shared office working
Risk level ascribed is ultimately judgement on the degree to which the factor is controlled by workplace measures, which includes how work is arranged. ‘Low risk’ is likely to be ascribed to home working or isolated, non-shared workspaces.
This risk assessment needs tobe used in conjunction with your normal Health & Safety risk assessment for a particular role.
The following notes provide explanation of the mechanism whereby the risk factor can manifest in the workplace.
1. Patient/Service User/ Public Facing
a. These groups of people are not colleagues and therefore the potential for individuals who do not understand COVID-19 symptoms or do not comply with control measures is higher.
b. Contacts in these situations may be many, increasing the risk of interacting with someone who is infectious.
c. The less control over people being interacted with, the greater the risk e.g. employees of an organization may be more likely to learn and abide by instructions than non-employees, for example.
2. Ability to maintain Social Distancing at work >2m
a. The risk of spread is thought to be reduced by distancing greater than 2m and is the basis of current government advice.
b. The durations with which social distancing cannot be maintained factors into the risk assessment e.g. passing someone at 1m for a second is going to present lower risk than providing toileting support for a few minutes.
c. Consider situations where people tend to come into closed contact with others more at work e.g. kitchen and toilet facilities.
3. Number of different people sharing the workplace
a. Similar to risk 1, the higher the number of people sharing a space, the higher the risk of coming into contact with someone infectious. Reduced staffing presence on site reduces this risk.
b. The ability to control local hygiene for the workspace lowers the risk – see 8.
c. Having certain areas staffed by a specific group of workers lowers risk - ‘cohorting’.
4. Travel to and from work
a. Public transport can increase the risk due to confined space and a high throughput of different people, some of whom may be infectious and not following hygiene control measures including isolation advice. There are many ‘high touch’ surfaces on most public transport. Some risk can be reduced by less busy travel times, high levels of hand hygiene and maintaining social distancing.
b. Private transport can reduce the risk due to less people sharing the space and ability to be driven by self or others known to comply with general guidance.
5. Workplace entry and exit
a. High touch surfaces on entry are higher risk e.g. touching reader plates with electronic passes.
b. Jobs where staff need to change into work clothes can be problematic as changing areas are cramped and high throughput of staff in smaller spaces. Consider staggering shift start and finish times, multiple routes of entry.
6. Availability, need for and use of PPE
a. If PPE is required, it means infection risk is higher – at least Medium risk.
b. PPE level depends on the situation. If not working with COVID-19 symptomatics and not providing direct personal care within 2m, then PPE may not be required. All direct support within 2m should follow at least standard infection control precautions (SCIP). If recommended PPE is not available when required, then risk is High.
7. Ability to maintain hand hygiene
a. A combination of frequent hand washing with soap and running water as well as hand sanitizer is likely to be required in all locations. Very few situations should present more than Standard Risk from this factor.
b. Hand hygiene can also be improved by contact surface cleaning.
c. Consider hand hygiene risks from handling money, passing items to others.
8. Workplace environment cleanliness control
a. Workplaces where hygiene can be better maintained are of lower risk e.g. an office closed to the public should be lower risk than a supermarket.
b. Provision of cleaning supplies can allow workers to clean their own environment e.g. desk, phone, PC, periodically door handles.
9. Ability to avoid symptomatic people
a. Although asymptomatic people can be infectious, it is thought those with symptoms are higher infectivity risk.
b. All workplaces (and individuals) should know and promote the home isolation rules for their own symptoms and household contacts.
c. Patients, the public who do not follow the guidance and service users may present as symptomatic. If the risk of symptomatic person exposure can be minimized, this will lower risk.
An office administrator in a financial organization which is closed to the public whereby the role cannot be effectively carried out at home. The staff member does need to travel to work by public transport and flexible start times can be accommodated. Other staff members will also attend work, but number have been restricted to always allow social distancing. All staff have had regular communication about hygiene and home isolation rules and there is an increased cleaning schedule at work for high touch surfaces. All staff have been issued with hand sanitizer and do not hot desk. Cleaning sprays are readily available, and use is encouraged.
|
|
Based on risk after control measures are implemented |
||||
|
Risk ID |
Risk Factors |
Very Low * |
Standard |
Medium |
High |
|
1 |
Patient/Service user/Public Facing |
x |
|
|
|
|
2 |
Ability to maintain social distancing at work >2m |
|
x |
|
|
|
3 |
Number of different people sharing the workplace |
|
x |
|
|
|
4 |
Travel to and from work |
|
x |
|
|
|
5 |
Workplace entry and exit |
|
x |
|
|
|
6 |
Availability and use of PPE |
x |
|
|
|
|
7 |
Ability to maintain hand hygiene |
|
x |
|
|
|
8 |
Workplace environment cleanliness control |
|
x |
|
|
|
9 |
Ability to avoid symptomatic people |
|
x |
|
|
There are no non-staff people presenting to the workplace making the risk from factor 1 very low. There is no need to use PPE (factor 6), also very low risk. Although other factors are not very low, they are controlled and do not present more than standard risk.
The highest risk is Standard therefore this is the overall risk level.
Who can work?
Those with Medium Risk Vulnerability (Orange) could work in this workplace with the stated control measures in place.
A role involves providing social care to a service user with Cerebral Palsy in the service user’s own home. There is a close staff team of 5 support workers, and they are limited to reduce infection risk. The service user requires physical assistance for toileting, washing and dressing. Members of the service user’s family are not visiting at present due to the social distancing rules. All staff know how to recognise symptoms of potential COVID-19 in themselves and family members and know not to present to work in these situations. PPE is available but is used for the direct provision of personal care within 2 metres. The staff team also check the temperature of the service user and note the absence of symptoms of COVID-19 at each staff changeover. The support workers all drive private vehicles to the service user’s home.
|
|
Based on risk after control measures are implemented |
||||
|
Risk ID |
Risk Factors |
Very Low * |
Standard |
Medium |
High |
|
1 |
Patient/Service user/Public Facing |
|
|
x |
|
|
2 |
Ability to maintain social distancing at work >2m |
|
|
x |
|
|
3 |
Number of different people sharing the workplace |
|
x |
|
|
|
4 |
Travel to and from work |
|
x |
|
|
|
5 |
Workplace entry and exit |
|
x |
|
|
|
6 |
Availability and use of PPE |
|
|
x |
|
|
7 |
Ability to maintain hand hygiene |
|
x |
|
|
|
8 |
Workplace environment cleanliness control |
|
x |
|
|
|
9 |
Ability to avoid symptomatic people |
|
x |
|
|
There is service user facing work (the focus of the work for prolonged periods) which would present a medium risk. It is not possible to maintain social distancing for some periods of the shift although there are mechanisms in place to screen for symptoms in the service user. Being in close contact at times creates an increased risk, which is reduced with PPE worn. The close staff team leads to a low level of workplace sharing and cleanliness can be maintained on shift. If the service user became symptomatic for potential COVID-19, then the risk would elevate to high risk.
Because of the low number of staff and a single service user who is monitored for potential COVID-19 symptoms, while they are asymptomatic, the overall risk would be Medium, as this is the highest risk level presented by the Risk Factors.
Workers with Increased (Yellow) or Standard (Green) risk can work here but not those who have High risk. If COVID-19 symptoms present in the service user, only Standard vulnerability support workers can work here (N.b. the stated worker risk is an Occupational Health assessed risk based on the employee health information).
Government guidance on social-distancing for vulnerable people
Arranging a test through the Government website
GOV - working safely during COVID-19 in offices and contact centres
HSE working safely during coronavirus outbreak
HSENI example risk assessment template
HSE Managing and assessing risks at work
UNITE Risk Assessment and Procedures
This document is the combination of a number of different sources of information regarding COVID-19 and returning to work. Someof the content is from the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and Society of Occupational Medicine which is updated regularly in regards to changing Government strategy and advice; as well as our lead OH physician and Senior Occupational Health advisor. We are grateful to the Occupational Health physicians and advisors/nurses who have contributed to this work.