FEATURE


MANAGING THE RISK


With experience in responding to crisis situations such as coronavirus, UK safety expert Arco provides practical guidance to help employers get their staff back to work safely.


As the government eases lockdown restrictions in England in a bid to restart the economy, many business owners and managers are concerned about how to comply with the guidelines issued to ensure safe working.


To help employers keep workers safe, Arco has launched a ‘toolkit’ aligned


with government advice which covers topics such as managing risk, social distancing, hand washing and sanitising, cleaning the workplace, and face masks. In addition, there are practical checklists for workers in specific locations such as those who work in other people’s homes, or in or from vehicles. Arco is also warning of the danger of fake personal protective equipment (PPE) in the market.


FACE MASKS If full respiratory protection is not required and the


objective is to prevent the possible transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace, then the most appropriate PPE would be a face mask. Arco recommends that a full workplace risk assessment is carried out to identify the hazardous substances in the environment, to determine which type of mask is most appropriate. This should include the risk of exposure to infection.


Medical face masks are classified into Type I and Type II. Arco recommends Type II face masks in most workplace settings, where masks are being issued with the objective of preventing the transmission of COVID-19 virus from one person to others. Type IIR splash resistant medical face masks are required in clinical settings to protect wearers against


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contaminants contained in splashes of blood or bodily fluids and should be reserved for use by the NHS and other frontline workers.


: https://www.arco.co.uk/coronavirusadvice


Those issuing Type II masks for the first time will need to provide instruction to wearers on the correct way to put on, take off and dispose of the masks once used. Arco has compiled a step-by-step illustrative guide along with a list of FAQs for managers. These are freely available on our website.


THE DANGERS OF COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS The current COVID-19 pandemic has seen a huge


growth in demand for (PPE) this has led to a surge in fake and non-compliant products entering the market from new suppliers. Arco is deeply concerned about the quantity of non-compliant products that are now on the UK market, as they could put workers at risk, rather than protect them.


Arco is uniquely positioned to advise on fake and counterfeit products that are finding their way into the marketplace. The company is using its deep technical knowledge on product quality and conformity to assist the OPSS and Trading Standards in their effort to keep non-compliant products out of the supply chain.


Neil Hewitt, Quality Director at Arco, said: “We would add a warning about the influx of non-compliant products coming into the market that have not been tested and certified to meet the necessary standards and could potentially put people at risk. We recommend that customers work with reliable, proven companies that can provide assurance on product quality and conformity.”


The expert advice sheets are free to download on the Arco website.


www.arco.co.uk/coronavirusadvice www.tomorrowshs.com


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