The British Safety Council, one of the world's most trusted leaders in health, safety, and environmental management, has developed a detailed COVID-19 framework applicable to all sectors.
The framework aims to enable orgsations to develop robust protocols and arrangements, designed to effectively manage the risk of COVID-19 as far as is reasonably possible within their workplace.
After months of a COVID-19 compelled lockdown, workplaces across the world are slowly opening their doors to employees.
Nonetheless, with the health and wellbeing of staff and stakeholders as the primary concern, employers need to be armed with a comprehensive plan to identify and determine appropriate control measures.
For Indian compes, the guidelines have been specially designed by taking into account the current best practices in occupational health and safety guidelines issued by the World Health Orgsation (WHO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the Orgsation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the European Commission.
These guidelines will be updated periodically as more information is developed by governments, NGOs, and professional establishments.
British Safety Council's COVID-19 Assurance Assessment Service includes consolidated consultancy services to orgsations across India looking for credible and reliable sources of support to return to operational activity.
With their team of health, safety, and environmental experts, British Safety Council provides technical consultancy in all elements within the guide.
The COVID-19 Assurance Assessment Framework is essentially based on the bulwark of a host of areas including assessing risks, planning control measures, allocation of roles and responsibilities, implementing, and maintaining controls, communication and training, monitoring effectiveness, and reviewing and revising arrangements.
Within these, the guidelines also specifically cover details on control measures including points like how to minimise the risk of transmission, total avoidance of personal contact, health control and surveillance, social distancing, personal hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, PPE, workplace cleng and workplace ventilation.
The British Safety Council will also offer assessment services that focus on elements of business recovery and will support the stabilisation of business growth for orgsations.
They will provide professional support, guidance, and independent assurance to enable orgsations to develop and implement suitable protocols and arrangements within the workplace.
At a time when employees will have to get used to the new normal, orgsations will benefit immensely through such strong technical support with the independent assurance that workplace safety, health, and environmental arrangements are in accordance with current guidance and best practices as a minimum standard.
More importantly, the British Safety Council will continue to offer support even amidst changing requirements and expectations of stakeholders in the face of revised guidelines depending on the status of the pandemic. The focus will be on ensuring that the workplace remains as safe and healthy as is reasonably practicable.
The British Safety Council's team will offer technical support for areas like Risk assessment reviews, support for workplace procedure development and reviews (including social distancing, health surveillance, workplace control measures, emergency planning, PPE, etc), health and wellbeing guidance (including mental health factors), communication and information, leadership and behavioural factors and assurance auditing.
"COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges that businesses and societies have faced. As restrictions are slowly easing, orgsations are required to follow requisite guidelines as part of their return to work protocols and subsequent risk management of COVID-19. This may seem a little daunting which is why the British Safety Council has developed a detailed COVID-19 'Return to Work' framework and an assurance assessment service. We are also ready to offer support to empower orgsations to follow the protocols and decide to effectively manage and mitigate the risk of transmission," said Hemant Sethi, Country Head India, British Safety Council about the guidelines.
In India, leading orgsations like WeWork India, Panchshil Realty, the Raheja Group, Embassy Group etc have already partnered with British Safety Council and have acquired their support as they transition back to a physical workplace.
Since its foundation in 1957, the British Safety Council has campaigned tirelessly to protect workers from accidents, hazards, and unsafe conditions, and played a decisive role in the process that has led to the adoption of landmark health and safety legislation in the UK.
Its members in more than 60 countries are committed to protecting and improving the wellbeing of workers, believing that a healthy and safe work environment is also good for business.
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( With inputs from ANI )
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