The health and safety of our customers, partners and colleagues is our primary concern. Following our COVID-19 risk assessment there are a number of measures we will be taking to ensure we manage to safely carry out our services. This includes taking all the necessary steps to mitigate risks resulting from our staff moving to other areas, including customer premises.

 

Prior to attending customer sites all our stocktakers have been briefed with COVID-19 specific guidance to ensure the safety of both themselves and the people they come in contact with during their work.This guidance can be read below:

Stock Auditors COVID-19 Guidance

JUNE 2020 – VENNERS LTD

Introduction

 

This document will outline the guidelines that Venners are offering to help staff return to and continue working in a safe way with the current restrictions set out by the government in dealing with COVID- 19 and also restoring the nation’s business sectors back to operational life.

 

The governments say ‘If your workplace is open and you cannot work from home, you can travel to work’. Venners have considered the process of stocktaking and recognise that fundamentally this service cannot be carried out from home. Therefore, we have to work following guidance to ensure that we carry out our work as safely as we can.

 

There may be some instances where part of a job can be completed at home to reduce the length of time you spend on site and where you can do this you can.

 

Examples where part of the stocktake can be completed at home:

 

– Inputting deliveries/income or other information that you can access before the visit. This happens anyway for some clients as we can access their systems remotely. For some companies spreadsheets and the like are put on Helpful Documents in Venners Online.

 

– In some instances you may be able to contact the client beforehand and get some information emailed to you, this may be applicable for delivery notes/cost prices/new selling prices/revenue etc….

 

– In some instances you may be able to take information home and process results at home, but this must be in agreement with the client and the usual discussion at the end of a result must take place. What you must consider before doing this is that you will not be able to recheck counts or other aspects that you may need to be on site for. We must still never amend results based on stock counts provided to us after we have left site that we have not seen.

 

If you are leaving site to finish the stocktake at home this must be authorised by a member of management beforehand (usually your Area Manager but may also be the manager that oversees that client)

 

If you have any doubt as to whether the aspect of your work that you are doing off site is feasible please speak to your Area Manager.

Workplanning Considerations

 

When work is being planned the workplanners will consider the following:

 

– Can start times be adjusted to avoid travelling on public transport at the busiest times?

– Can multihanded jobs be carried out by less people over a longer period of time?

– Are there any known concerns with Social Distancing at the venue?

Government Guidelines if you have Coronavirus Symptoms

 

Please refer to the following to see the latest Government Guidance with regard to symptoms and the action that you should take.

These have not been included here as they do change and the safest way to get the latest Government Guidance is to follow this link.

If you do have to self-isolate you should follow the normal process of reporting an absence from work.

Government Guidance for Businesses Reopening

 

All businesses are expected to carry out a Covid-19 Risk Assessment before they reopen.

We expect that every venue we work in has carried this out and are following all Government Guidelines with regard to the risks they have identified.

Travelling To and From Work

 

• Wherever possible avoid using public transport. This may not be practical at all times and where public transport does have to be used follow any guidance with regard to social distancing. It may be worth considering if you can vary the time of day that you work so that you can use public transport when it is quieter. This may involve you liaising directly with the client or with your workplanner.

 

• It is now compulsory to wear a face mask or face covering when travelling on public transport. You can provide your own face mask or face covering, or these can be provided for you. Please scroll down to see further information on PPE.

 

• If you are travelling to the same location as a colleague you should not car share.

 

• When arriving at and before you leave a client’s premises you must wash your hands.

 

There is specific guidance from the Government covering all aspects of travel and this can be seen by following this link. This is the best way to see the most up to date advice.

Planning your day / Social Distancing / Keeping 2 metres apart when on clients premises / Face Coverings

(Please note that we have kept with the 2 Metre distance throughout this document, but as per Government Guidelines where 2 Metres isn’t possible the distance must be 1 Metre+)

 

• You are required to wear a face covering or mask when on a client’s premises. The Government Guidelines state: “Customers in hospitality venues must wear face coverings, except when seated at a table to eat or drink. Staff in hospitality and retail will now also be required to wear face coverings (from 24 September)”. For the purpose of this guidance we assume that when we are working on a client’s premises we fall into the category of Staff.

 

• On arrival at work take some time to plan the day to ensure that you can follow the guidelines throughout the day. Ensure you are familiar with any guidelines specific to that premises and that you know where the hand washing/sanitising facilities are.

 

• Remember to wash or sanitise your hands regularly throughout the day, when moving from one area to another and also when handling stock.

 

• Consider the plan for counting to ensure that you are able to count an area before there is a need for staff to be in that location (kitchens for example).

 

• Before you start counting, plan where you are going to work afterwards. The usual place you work might not be feasible (a small office for example). An area might need to be ‘cordoned off’ so that it is ready for you when needed. This should be discussed and arranged with the person on site. Where you set up to work should be:

– Somewhere where you can keep your 2m distance

– Where there are not people coming and going all day

– In an area that can be cordoned off for you

– Where you can get access to handwashing/sanitiser facilities

 

• Think about areas that you need to count that are enclosed or where there is not 2 metres of space. This might be cellars, bars, dry stores, walk in fridges, walk in freezers etc… If there is not room for more than 1 person to be in there keeping 2 metres apart, where there normally would be, ask the person on site to ensure that the area is prepared for you to count. If needed, ask that items are brought out of the area to count.

 

• Also consider that this may take more time than usual if the level of help that is normally given is not available.

 

• Where you need to use the clients computer which can often be in a small office. Discuss with the person on site how this is going to work. Things to consider:

– Can you access the system remotely and therefore can do so from your own laptop. If so, then this must be utilised.

– If you just need reports from a computer, can they be emailed to you from the person on site (please note you must not share passwords for systems. It might be that you have to run the reports but are able to email them to yourself).

– You may wish to bring disposable gloves for use on someone else’s computer

– You should wash/sanitise your hands before and after using someone else’s computer.

 

• When paperwork is being presented this should be left at a safe distance for you to pick up, rather than being handed to you. If this can be emailed to you rather than printed use this as an alternative. It may also be worth considering if anything can be emailed to you before you attend site and you can then complete some of the work beforehand. This may not be feasible for every client or company, but is something worth considering ahead of a visit.

 

• In instances where we already have access to information beforehand, try to process this before arriving on site to reduce the time you need to spend on site.

 

• If you are using any of the facilities at the premises you are working, please ensure that you use and follow any guidance that is provided.

Counting Cash

 

• There may be some specific changes to the usual instructions for counting cash where this is a normal requirement for that client. Please make sure you familiarise yourself with these.

 

• As a more general guideline the following should be actioned:

 

– You should only handle cash if you are wearing gloves

– Ideally the person on site should count the cash and you should witness the process

– Remember to keep your 2 metre distance from them.

– If this is not feasible in an office then the cash should be brought to a larger area. However, security must be considered and if cash is being brought into a public area this must be done when the venue is not trading and the building is secure.

– Remember to plan the cash count at the beginning of the day as it may often be the case that this has to be done first in order to carry out safely and securely.

– If you are in any doubt about the safety and security of carrying out a cash check please speak to your Area Manager at the time.

General Guidelines

 

• Remember to sanitise surfaces often

 

• Remember to wash your hands regularly (consider setting an alarm on your phone to remind you if it helps). It may be that sanitising your hands between begin able to wash them is also needed

 

• If you are in a room where you can open windows, do so because increased ventilation helps

 

• Likewise, leave doors open for extra ventilation

 

• Follow any local signs and guidance wherever you are working

 

• Remember that all precautions and ways of working that we are following are there to ensure both yourself and everyone around you are as safe as possible.

 

• Wash your hands before leaving each job and also when you get home

PPE

 

• Face coverings or masks are required to be warn in all retail or hospitality venues as well as on public transport or in taxis. You can provide your own face covering or mask or these can be provided for you.

 

• Where you want to or have to wear one please follow these guidelines:

– Wash or sanitise your hand before putting your mask on and after taking it off

– Replace your disposable face mask daily

– Bear in mind that a face mask is worn to protect others rather than yourself

– If you wear your own reusable material facemask or covering wash it daily

– Even though you are wearing a face mask you must follow the social distancing guidelines

 

• An initial supply of hand sanitiser and a bottle on a clip will be provided. Following this, you can purchase your own supply and claim it through your expenses. You may also purchase a supply of handwash to carry with you. Examples of the kind of sanitiser and hand wash that we expect to see claimed are detailed below. This is not an exhaustive list and will be ever changing but something similar to these can be purchased

– Tesco – Extracts Aloe Antibacterial Handwash 500ml @ £0.75 (15p/100ml)
– Superdrug – Carex Aloe Vera Anti-bacterial Hand Gel 300ml @ £3.49 (£1.16/100ml)
– Savers – Medex Hand Sanitiser 500ml @£3.99 (79.80p/100ml)
– Asda – Coates Hand Gel 100ml @£3.00 (£3/100ml) 

 

• PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR HAND SANITISER SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN YOUR CAR WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN IT.THERE IS A POTENTIAL FIRE RISK DUE TO THE ALCOHOL CONTENT AND IF IT REACHES A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE IT CAN SET ON FIRE.

FAQ’s

 

Below are some questions that you may have and the answers may be here for you:

Q. What do I do if I turn up at a site and they do not appear to have any special measures in place?

A. If you are not comfortable with the arrangements at any place of work please contact your Area Manager and discuss with them before you begin the job.

 

Q. What do I do if people are self-isolating where I am working?

A. Assess the situation and any risk to yourself. It maybe that someone is self-isolating in a part of the premises which is not accessible to you (a managers flat for example) and that they do not leave, which is a different situation than someone with access to the whole premises. If you have any doubt over the safety of working there please call your Area Manager before beginning the job.

 

Q What do I do if I or someone in my household has Coronavirus symptoms?

A. You must follow the Government guidelines at all times and also follow the company rules for reporting absence from work. Follow this link for the latest advice.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

 

Q What do I do if I am not comfortable working where they expect me to work?

A. Initially, make sure that you have a conversation at the beginning of the day about the arrangements for carrying out the stocktake and that an agreeable plan is made. If you are not comfortable with the solution and cannot come to a satisfactory conclusion please call your Area Manager before commencing the job.

 

Q. What if I have no option but to travel on public transport?

A. Where the only option to travel to work is to use public transport, consider the advice given on Page 4 of this document with regard to varying the time you travel to avoid the busiest times. Also, you should always refer to the government guidance which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers

 

Q. Can I decide when it is appropriate to work at home?

A. If there is any work you can do in advance of arriving at site then this can be done. This is often where we have access to purchases information beforehand. Any other ‘prep’ that can be carried out before you arrive should be considered. If you think it appropriate or possible to take work home from site and complete a job away from the venue then you must seek authorisation from your Area Manager or the manager at Venners that looks after this client.

 

Q. Who should I report any concerns I have to?

A. Initially this should be your Area Manager.

 

Q How do I get a supply of face masks?

A. We can send these to you, or you can use your own reusable face covering. Please send requests for disposable facemasks to IT.Helpdesk@venners.co.uk

 

Q. How do I get a supply of hand sanitiser?

A. After your initial supply has run out you can purchase your own and claim it through your expenses. Please see the recommended places to purchase these above.

 

Q. What it if I am contacted from the NHS Test and Trace Service?

A. If you are contacted you have to follow the self-isolation guidelines and go through the usual process of reporting your absence from work. All information about test and trace can be found by following this link https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works