The Ebbsfleet Academy Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19
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Brook Learning Trust The Ebbsfleet Academy Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19 Date: 22nd January 2021 Author: Trust Executive Team & Academy Leaders Call 01580 712754 | Email [email protected] | www.brooklearningtrust.org.uk Brook Learning Trust, The High Weald Academy, Angley Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2PJ Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19 2 Workplace Risk Assessment This is a Workplace Risk Assessment for dealing with the current Covid-19 situation at Brook Learning Trust academies, which has been prepared in response to the Government’s phased return plans for secondary schools, and subsequently updated to prepare for a full return of students in September 2020 Covid-19 is a new illness that can affect the lungs and airways. It is caused by a virus called Coronavirus. Symptoms can be mild, moderate, severe or fatal. Regardless of this risk assessment being in place, anyone who becomes unwell in the workplace with any of the following symptoms must immediately leave the premises, inform the most senior colleague on site at the time, and follow the Government guidelines current at the time: new continuous cough a high temperature a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell. The risk assessment will be subject to continual review and necessarily amended as circumstances and working practices, evolve in response to the threat. It is not intended to cover every single scenario. A Risk Assessment is only effective if it is shared so that staff can clearly see what has been assessed as the risk, what controls are required, and who is responsible to dealing with ensuring those controls are in place. This risk assessment should be read in conjunction with Brook Learning Trust’s Safe Ways of Working document, which provides instruction for remaining Covid-safe. The risk assessment follows the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) steps for managing risk (identify hazards; assess the risks; control the risks; record your findings; review the controls), HSE risk templates, and has been informed by the following documentation: HSE: Working safely during the coronavirus outbreak HSE: Guidance on air conditioning and ventilation during the pandemic Department for Education (DfE): Managing school premises which are partly open during Covid-19 outbreak DfE: Covid-19 - Cleaning in non-healthcare settings DfE: Implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings DfE: Preparing for the wider opening of schools from 1 June: Guidance for secondary school provision from 15 June DfE: 5 steps for working safely DfE: Guidance for full opening: schools DfE: Mass asymptomatic testing: schools and colleges guidance Call 01580 712754 | Email [email protected] | www.brooklearningtrust.org.uk Brook Learning Trust, The High Weald Academy, Angley Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2PJ Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19 3 What are the Hazards? Spread of Covid-19 Coronavirus Who might be harmed? Students Staff Visitors to the premises Contractors Vulnerable groups Hand Washing and Hygiene Controls Additional Controls Completed Timeframe Commentary Required By Awareness of and Staff and students to be reminded on a regular basis SLT 1 June Safe ways of working document adherence to good to wash their hands for 20 seconds with water and onwards circulated to staff in June and practice in hand soap. updated version to be issued washing and ahead of September. hygiene Staff and students reminded to catch coughs and SLT 15 June sneezes in tissues (Follow catch it, bin it, kill it) onwards Regular reminders to staff given. Sufficient hand Staff and students reminded to avoid touching face, SLT 15 June Sanitiser available in all corridors wash facilities with eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands onwards and all classrooms. All students soap and water to receive reminders via tutor available induction session and throughout the day. Access to hand washing at break and lunchtimes available. Stringent hand Stocks of hand soap and dispensers monitored and Estates 12 June 20 Monitored by Housekeeping washing topped up onwards daily Drying of hands Tissues to be made available throughout the Estates 12 June 20 Monitored operating areas and stocks checked Staff encouraged Posters to remind all premises users to wash their Admin 10 June 20 Posters displayed: further stock to protect their skin hands available with hand creams Call 01580 712754 | Email [email protected] | www.brooklearningtrust.org.uk Brook Learning Trust, The High Weald Academy, Angley Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2PJ Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19 4 Students to Routines in place to ensure that students thoroughly SLT 1 Sept 20 Monitored by duty staff sanitising hands sanitise their hands on entry and that contaminated and remove face face masks are removed and placed in their bags. coverings safely Social and Physical Distancing Controls Additional Controls Completed Timeframe Commentary Required By Office Spaces Staff to keep 2m from students and colleagues at all SLT & line 1 June Safe ways of working document Reducing the times where possible. The use of the staff room managers onwards circulated and reminders to staff. number of persons should be minimised. in any one work area to comply Students to be supported to maintain distance and SLT 1 September New routines and habits for with the two metre not touch staff or peers on arrival to school, during onwards students will be in place from (or one metre plus) the school day and on leaving the site. September. rule where possible. Tape/barriers/marking to be used at points of access Admin & 11 June 20 Ongoing as durability of various and egress, in reception and in other in other Estates onwards styles tested Classrooms ‘common’ areas to mark distancing measures All desks facing forward with ‘One way’ system where practicable including the SLT & Estates 11 June 20 Circulation system in operation maximum distance limiting of lift occupancy, prioritising disabled use between desks possible. 2m Utilise limited areas/office/teaching spaces Estates 11 June 20 In place and ongoing required between teacher and Physical arrangement of work and learning spaces to Line 11 June 20 In place students. keep 2m distance: use back to back or side to side Managers working wherever possible In office environments, assign one person to one Admin & 11 June 20 In place work area wherever possible Estates Visitors should be minimised. SLT 11 June 20 Visitor protocols updated Area in reception marked out for visitors. Estates 1 Sept 20 Call 01580 712754 | Email [email protected] | www.brooklearningtrust.org.uk Brook Learning Trust, The High Weald Academy, Angley Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2PJ Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19 5 All visitors, contractors and supply staff should be SLT & Admin 1 Sept 20 Visitor protocols updated, safe particularly vigilant in remaining 2m from all others. ways of working document and test and trace system in place for all visitors. No meetings of more than 6 people should take place SLT 5 Oct 20 Introduced to limit groups of staff face to face, and instead must be held virtually. meeting. This is also in place for parent meetings. Safer ways of working document updated. Cleaning Controls Additional Controls Completed Timeframe Commentary Required By Frequent (at least A member of housekeeping will be present during the Estates 4th Jan 21 Reviewed daily every hour or more opening times of the academies. Their sole purpose for high use areas will be the overt cleaning and sanitising of frequently such as used areas, door handles, plates etc in addition to Receptions) toilet facilities and common hard surface areas. cleaning and disinfecting of Staff will clean their own (personal) areas as they Estates 4th Jan 21 Reviewed daily objects and move locations. Day cleaners will clean IT rooms surfaces that are after each lesson, including chairs, keyboards and touched regularly monitors. particularly in areas of high use such as door Team cleaning will continue at the end of each Estates 4th Jan 21 Reviewed daily handles, light working day to all office and teaching spaces, toilets switches, reception and communal spaces that are used. areas etc All sanitising dispensers reloaded. Managing transmission risk - Staff Controls Additional Controls Completed Timeframe Commentary Required By Only staff required During the period of national lockdown, only those SLT 5 January to work on site will staff whose role cannot be undertaken from home will until schools attend reopen Call 01580 712754 | Email [email protected] | www.brooklearningtrust.org.uk Brook Learning Trust, The High Weald Academy, Angley Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2PJ Workplace Risk Assessment - Covid-19 6 be on site, alongside those staff supervising vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Testing for Covid- Those staff working on site will be offered regular SLT 11 January See Appendix A for full risk 19 testing for Covid-19 in line with current DfE onwards assessment regarding mass guidelines. testing of staff and students. Shared Office Staff should avoid sharing office space for prolonged All 5 January Office moves to be completed by Space periods. Where possible staff should utilise vacant onwards Friday 15th January office space to ensure reduced transmission risk. Shared Space Notices posted at key locations to remind staff to Admin/site 15 June 20 In place Equipment sanitise the equipment after each use Staff required to sanitise equipment Sanitiser/wipes