Introduction:
PPSPower (and our wider group of companies) are still committed to a common-sense approach to containing the coronavirus outbreak and mitigating its impact on customers and employees.
The following procedure sets out the contingency measures that the Businesses will bring into effect.
The plan aims to ensure that all business divisions can operate as normally as possible, albeit, with a potentially reduced workforce.
Procedure:
All employees are responsible for familiarising themselves and understanding this policy. Employees and customers are encouraged if they are unsure or require more clarification, to speak to their line manager or company contact immediately.
A dedicated team of people from our businesses will monitor Government advice and provide clear updates on how we will operate, as further potential restrictions are put into place.
As a contingency measure, employees will be requested to work from home where they can. We will also be looking to operate the working-from-home rota in bubbles so that we are always (where possible) working with the same people. Should any members of staff get tested positive or show signs of being infected we will then be able to shield the appropriate bubble to prevent further risk.
We may also be looking to utilize the governments job retention scheme to protect employment by furloughing employees if it is felt the workload dictates.
Rest assured we will do everything possible to ensure the safety of our customers and employees and keep the businesses running as best as they can be.
Employees should self-isolate as detailed below and take a COVID test as per government guidelines if:
14 days if;
and/or someone in their household has the above symptoms;
and/or the employee has had close contact with someone with the above symptoms;
or you have been requested to do so by Test and Trace;
or you have returned from a country not on the government exempt list.
10 days if;
you have shown symptoms (fever, new continuous cough, or loss/change to taste or smell).
Employees, whilst in work, are required to strictly adhere to the measures put in place to keep the risk of infection to an absolute minimum.
These measures include but are not limited to:
Wash your hands at every opportunity – at least once an hour or after touching surfaces that have been shared by others;
Stay at least 2 metres apart. There is no reason whatsoever for anybody to be nearer than that;
Make your own teas and coffees with your own spoon. At the end of the day, wash your own crockery and cutlery and leave on your workstation;
Only one person should be present in smaller areas where social distancing is more challenging i.e. kitchens, toilets and doorways;
Stagger lunch breaks and avoid sitting in the canteen. Eat at your desk or in your car; Avoid using the microwaves – bring in lunches that do not require heating and avoid visiting local shops;
Keep all work-spaces and the office clean and tidy;
Do not share stationary such as; pens, scissors, stapler, calculators etc... if this isn’t possible disinfect before and after you use it.
Sterilise common areas twice a day.
Business Continuity:
Engineering/Field Teams:
All PPSPower engineers and field-based managers have been issued with hand sanitiser kits. These should be used as well as washing your hands to ensure hygiene management (as detail by the WHO) prior to visiting sites and after leaving a site.
Gloves and face masks should be worn on all sites within the buildings. This also applies to field based and/or commissioning staff and sub-contractors. Gloves are not a replacement for good hand hygiene as previously mentioned, wash your hands before and after their required use.
Employees should not be travelling in the same vehicle for any period of time for any reason.
If any employee starts experiencing symptoms whilst on a client’s site you should immediately remove yourself from the work area and remove yourself from any interaction with others. Ensure that you inform your line manager/controller and client contact ASAP.
Head Office Teams:
The head office is open as usual. However, it is now closed again for all non-urgent meetings and delivery staff are not permitted to enter the building. All collections are carried out at distance and hygiene management (as detail by the WHO) should be conducted following all deliveries. Gloves should be used to collect deliveries at all times. Unless you are authorized to sign off a goods-in note, you do not have the authority and you will be in breach of this policy.
All head office employees should have already completed the COVID19 Awareness training session.
If you have any questions or concerns about anything that has been detailed above please do not hesitate to contact myself directly or your company contact on 0345 200 9888.
Thank you and stay safe,
Stephen Peal
Managing Director
PPSPower