What we’re doing to keep our customers safe | Latest News

What we’re doing to keep our customers safe

The health and safety of our tenants and colleagues is our number one priority, so we are carefully following national guidelines to keep everyone safe when we carry out work in our properties.  

You might expect us to be kitted out in masks and aprons when we call, but the scientists have advised that this is unnecessary outside of a healthcare setting like a hospital or care home. The only reason additional personal protective equipment (PPE) could be needed is where 2m social distancing is not possible. You can see extracts from the most recent official guidance at the end of this article.

Where social distancing can take place, our staff will not wear additional PPE. The reason for this is that good hygiene and social distancing is considered more effective. Sometimes when PPE is worn, there is more chance that social distancing requirements may not be fully observed, which potentially puts people at greater risk. Please be assured also that CGA staff are not allowed to work if they or any member of their family have any of the Coronavirus symptoms, or they have been told to self-isolate by NHS Track and Trace.

What you can expect from us
We will:

  • Carry out a door step risk assessment
  • Sanitise our hands before and after entry
  • Avoid touching surfaces where possible and wipe and clean any we do have to touch
  • Cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue, which we will take away and dispose of ourselves and immediately sanitize our hands before continuing work
  • Not use your toilet or other facilities
  • Not accept any refreshments

What we need you to do

  • Allow Community Gateway staff to step back two metres, before you open the door.
  • Move well out of the way when they come into your home, so they do not need to brush past you in a hallway.
  • Ensure the rest of your family and pets are kept at least 2 metres away, while work is carried out, preferably in another room.  
  • Inform us if anyone in your household has symptoms or has been told to self-isolate by NHS Track and Trace when we carry out the door step risk assessment. Ideally please let us know about this beforehand by calling 0800 953 0213. Please note, we will not carry out work in your home in these circumstances, unless we need to fix something that is a direct risk to health and safety.

We have also developed additional arrangements for cases if you or any of your family are classed as “clinically vulnerable” and “clinically extremely vulnerable”. If you fall into one of these two categories please let us  know when we arrange the appointment

Extract from Working Safely during COVID-19 in other people’s homes – HM Government

“At the start of this document we described the steps you need to take to manage COVID-19 risk in the workplace. This includes working from home and staying 2m away from each other in the workplace if at all possible. When managing the risk of COVID-19, additional PPE beyond what you usually wear is not beneficial. This is because COVID-19 is a different type of risk to the risks you normally face in a workplace, and needs to be managed through social distancing, not through the use of PPE.”

The guidance then goes on to read

“Workplaces should not encourage the precautionary use of extra PPE to protect against COVID-19 outside clinical settings or when responding to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.”

 

 

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