Government publishes new covid-19 workplace guidance

The government has finally published new guidance on what employers need to do to make workplaces safe for employees to return as lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

The guidance was published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy a day after Boris Johnson urged people to return to work as part of the first phase of a plan to lift lockdown restrictions.

On Sunday, the prime minister said that all those who can work from home should continue to do so, but that those who can’t, should return to work.

The guidance sets out in broad terms what the government will expect to be included in safe working strategies from employers from Wednesday this week, when the easing of lockdown measures begins to take effect in England.

It includes guidance for those working in construction, as well as those, such as surveyors, required to work in people’s homes.

The guidance covers eight different work locations, from factories and warehouse, to offices and contact centres, as well as homes and shops.

It was not immediately apparent to what extent the guidance differs from the existing guidance for working on construction sites, produced by the Construction Leadership Council, which has been in force since shortly after the lockdown was brought in. In addition, the document didn’t make clear whether it was designed to be read alongside the existing CLC guidance, or whether it should supersede it.

In addition, while the guidance sets out how surveyors might feasibly carry out a property survey in someone’s house, the government hasn’t revised its home moving guidance, which still says that all but critical home moves should be avoided. Also, while it laid out guidance for safe working in retail properties, government advice still remains that all non-essential retail – including housebuilders’ sales offices – should remain closed.

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said the government’s back-to-work guidance was a first step in getting the UK economy back onto its feet in a safe manner. She said: “As property owners and managers, we have a critical role to play and we will work with our tenants in offices, warehouses and shops to support them in applying this guidance. Businesses will however need time to prepare for these new ways of working, and so dialogue between the government, employers, employees, property owners and managers is going to be critical in the weeks ahead.”