COVID-19 Risk Assessment
Access Partnership’s office in London has a capacity for 50 desk-based employees. The office is setup to have four bookable meeting rooms, two shared kitchens and permanent, open-plan desks.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the following risks areas have been identified:
Entry & exit
- Access Partnership’s office is on the top floor, reached by four shared lifts with the rest of the building.
- Lifts are often used by multiple individuals at once.
- Two entry doors used for both entry and exit by all employees.
Kitchens
- Two shared kitchens with shared appliances and worktops for making tea and coffee, heating food and cleaning kitchenware.
- Kitchens are used for eating meals at shared tables, where employees would be within 2m of each other.
Bathrooms
- Shared bathrooms bringing employees closer together than 2m.
Meeting rooms
- Four meeting rooms where colleagues would be in closer than 2m.
Desks
- Desks are setup in ‘pods’ with employees closer together than 2m.
- Desks will need to become hot-desks in order for appropriate distance to be maintained, which will mean desks may become shared.
Current Status
At this time, the office is only open for small teams to book the office:
- Only one team may book on each day, plus some individuals, with no more than 10 at any one time.
- A gap of three days will be left between bookings.
In order to mitigate these risks, the following guidance will apply when using the office:
Working in the Office Guidance
Masks
- Masks should be worn when moving around the office, using shared area, or interacting with colleagues within 2m.
Lifts
- Lifts should be used for ascending and the stairs for descending, where you are able to.
- Avoid touching buttons with hands – wear gloves or use a pen or other object to push buttons.
- Travel on your own – if someone is already in the lift, wait for another one. If you must share a lift make sure you remain as far away from them as possible and don’t speak.
- Additional guidance may come closer to the time after the building landlords produces their own measures.
Stairwells
- These can be used – but social distancing should be maintained. Use a minimum of 8 steps as a guide to ensure appropriate distance from another person.
- If you need to cross with someone, wait at a level section and remain as far away as possible.
General office rules
- Use the main reception door for entry, second door for exit.
- No external visitors to be allowed for the time being.
- If you need to speak to someone, maintain an appropriate distance and wear a mask, or use Teams to call/message.
- Regular handwashing must be maintained, not just upon arrival and after using the toilets – hands must be washed before and after touching any shared piece of equipment, i.e. phones, desks, computers, coffee machine, kettle, microwave, printer, fridges, dishwasher, etc.
Toilets
- One person in each toilet at any one time.
- Disabled toilet can be used as a third option.
Kitchens
Small kitchen
- Small kitchen should only be used by one person at a time.
Large kitchen
- Not to be used for eating meals – lunch should be eaten at desks.
- One-person max at any one time.
- Hands must be washed before and after touching any shared piece of equipment, i.e. coffee machine, kettle, microwave, fridges, dishwasher etc.
Seating
- One person maximum to a pod.
Meeting rooms
- Meeting rooms are not to be used at this time.
Office cleaning
Cleaning will start before the return to the office, but every employee must contribute to maintaining a clean workplace. There will be supplies available of:
- Antibacterial wipes
- Antibacterial spray
- Antibacterial hand sanitisers