West Lindsey District Council is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to contact businesses in the area to check they have appropriate COVID-secure measures in place.
They are also working alongside local public health authorities to understand any patterns in confirmed coronavirus cases in the area to help tackle COVID-19.
The Council has been working to support businesses since the start of the pandemic to ensure that they are following the regulations and guidance and helping them to diversify where possible. COVID Wardens have also been visiting businesses to see what support they need.
The latest partnership work will strengthen the work already taken place as the checks will continue to provide advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors.
However, if business are found not to be managing this, it may result in formal action being taken. This can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing of enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe and, where businesses eventually fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.
Being COVID-secure means that businesses need to put adjustments in place to manage the risk and protect workers and others from coronavirus. For further information on how to manage the risk of coronavirus in different business sectors please read the government guidance.
Cllr Jessie Milne, Chairman of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at the Council said: “Firstly I wanted to say that we have been working closely with our local businesses to support them and the majority of them are compliant. Our local businesses have done a fantastic job so far in meeting the challenges that the pandemic has placed upon them.”
“We are continuing to talk to local businesses, and visiting and inspecting sites in and around West Lindsey to understand how they are managing risks in line with their specific business activity. Working with the Health and Safety executive helps us to cover as many businesses as possible and carry this work on beyond the current lockdown. Working with the Health and Safety Executive helps us to cover as many businesses as possible and carry this work on beyond the current lockdown.
HSE and local authority inspectors are finding some common issues across a range of sectors that include: failing to provide arrangements for monitoring, supervising and maintaining social distancing, and failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime particularly at busy times of the day.
Cllr Milne added: “All businesses are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can be contacted to ensure they are COVID-secure. By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we can benefit the health of the local community as well as support the local and national UK economy.”
For the latest information and safer business guidance, see the Coronavirus pages on gov.uk