Fortel is Prepared to Help Fight Against the Covid - 19 Pandemic

Fortel has always spoken for the needs of its people working in the company, and the country at large. Sharing and inspiring to do better in this tough time is what all they can offer right now.

West Midlands, Apr 20, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - Fortel is guiding its employees to wash their hands, stay away from the large gathering and other precautions as well. But what else they are doing to help people in this difficult time? Well, the company is doing a lot to help the individuals as well as communities affected by a coronavirus in the UK.

Here is the list of few prominent ways in which the company is prepared to fight against the pandemic by offering help to its employees as well as the country at large.

Fortel is in a stable financial situation where it can offer helping hand directly for the people hit by COVID-19 pandemic. It is helping its employees during this tough time. It is a big step towards the staff that is keeping their morale high during this tough time.

The company is also donating to make a difference at the community level where the medical needs are taken most seriously than anything else.

They are giving helping hands to the organizations working for the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of this virus, and at the same time considering the economic impacts of the situation in the future. Fortel is sustaining its help as usual and also trying to increase it to help the organizations keeping up their good work as the problem continues for a long time.

At the individual level, Fortel is reaching out to its employees so that their needs can be met. Every person has different families set up with different needs depending on several individuals, the size of expenses, and much more.

Therefore, the company is trying to help out each one of them according to their needs. The company is available online 24/7 so that anyone, either employee or an outside person, who needs help regarding anything, could be covered through the services of the company.

It is a great initiative by the company which is helping more people than one could imagine. Indeed, it is trying more than its capacity to fight back this pandemic in the best possible way.

Fortel is allowing people to share their experiences during this pandemic, what they are going through, and what do they need with the help of phone calls and emails.

Through the powerful voice of the company, it is sharing valuable information with people so that they may be able to further share that information to help others too. This small but wise act of the company is making things better for people that are in touch with them, helping them develop a sense of hope for the future, and also boosting their ability to fight the pandemic as it affecting the mental health of so many people.

Fortel has always spoken for the needs of its people working in the company, and the country at large. Sharing and inspiring to do better in this tough time is what all they can offer right now.

Key Points and Fotel Group Guidance

Construction sites operating during the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic need to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of spread of infection.

This guidance is intended to introduce consistent measures on sites of all sizes in line with the Government's recommendations on social distancing.

These are exceptional circumstances and the industry must comply with the latest Government advice on Coronavirus at all times. The health and safety requirements of any construction type activity must not be compromised at this time. If an activity cannot be undertaken safely due to a lack of suitably qualified personnel being available or social distancing being implemented, it must not take place.

Fortel Group is aware that emergency services are also under great pressure and may not be able to respond as quickly as usual. Please ensure first-aid requirements on site are not compromised and be aware of the location of the first aid box in your vehicle or on-site. Sites should remind the workforce before work commences every day and at all break times of the Site Operating Procedures which are aimed at protecting them, their colleagues, their families and the UK population.

NOTE: COVID-19 has been classed as a Notifiable Disease under RIDDOR.

Self-Isolation

Anyone who meets one of the following criteria should not come to site:

- Has a high temperature or a new persistent cough - follow the guidance on self-isolation

- Is a vulnerable person (by virtue of their age, underlying health condition, clinical condition, has had a letter from the government confirming that they fall into a vulnerable category or are pregnant)

If you are living with someone who is:

- In self-isolation or

- Is classed as an extremely vulnerable person, or

- Is classed as a vulnerable person.

Please read the information in the links at the end of this document to assist you in determining the correct action to take.  Do contact your Fortel representative if you need further advice.

Procedure if someone falls ill

If you or a colleague develops a high temperature or a persistent cough whilst at work, you/they should:

- Return home immediately

- Avoid touching anything

- Cough or sneeze into a tissue and put it in a bin.  If no tissues are present, cough and sneeze into the crook of the elbow.

You/they must then follow the guidance on self-isolation and not return to work until the period of self-isolation has been completed.

Additional Fortel Group Guidance

- If an employee is unwell at work with symptoms of COVID-19, they should follow the guidance above and notify their line manager. If safe to do so, they should be sent home and follow the self-isolating guidance from the NHS

- If there is a concern that their symptoms are severe, call NHS 111 for advice

Travel to site

Wherever possible, workers should travel to the site alone using their own transport. Sites need to consider:

- Spacious parking arrangements for additional cars and bicycles

- Other means of transport to avoid public transport e.g. cycling

- Providing hand cleaning facilities at entrances and exits. This should be soap and water wherever possible or hand sanitiser if the water is not available

The following simple steps will help staff minimise the risk of contamination to anyone using works vehicles:

- Avoid all non-essential travel both by private and works vehicle

- Keep the time spent in the vehicle to a minimum - do not stop off or take the "long route" to site

- At the start of a shift, clean the external door handles and locks/catches on the vehicle with soap and water. If this is not practicable, then open external door handles using either a gloved hand or disinfectant wipes.  Internally, use disinfectant wipes to sanitize any areas of the vehicle that hands may typically touch, including the door, handles, steering wheel, gear lever, handbrake, indicator and wiper control arms, beacon switches, seat belts and buckles, window buttons, mirrors, stereo and climate control buttons

Chlorine-based cleaning products should only be used in accordance with the relevant COSHH assessment

- Remember to sanitize items of work equipment that may be used in the cabin of the vehicle such as mobile phones, tablets and cameras. Avoid passing these between occupants or using these inside the vehicle unless essential

- Inside works vehicles, wear a "clean" pair of nitrile/vinyl/PU/PVC or other coated gloves - ensure they have adequate grip and dexterity to allow safe driving. DO NOT wear your work gloves

- Where possible, maintain 2m social distancing if sharing vehicles. However, if this is not practicable you must sit as far apart within the vehicle cabin as possible. If 2 people are sharing a vehicle with front and rear seats (e.g. a car, welfare van or double crew cab) then one person should sit in the rear seat diagonally opposite the driver.  Always travel with the same group of people wherever possible

- Keep the windows at least partially open whilst travelling and the climate control system switched to blow external air to ensure continuous air change within the cabin area

- During the day, sanitize your hands regularly either by handwashing with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds) or using hand sanitizer if available, every time you get into or out of the vehicle, every time you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food

- Where possible, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands and avoid touching the vehicle after sneezing or coughing until you have sanitized your hands

- Always sanitize your hands after cleaning your vehicle - if your hands are dirty, you are putting germs right back onto that clean surface

- Sanitise the vehicle at least 2 times a day - the start of a shift, and end of the day.

- Do not store food or drink directly on any surface in the cab unless you know that part of the cab and the food packaging has been cleaned beforehand.

- Ensure you have a supply of clean tissue/paper towel and a waste bin/bag in your vehicle. Catch your cough or sneeze in a tissue, then throw the tissue in the bin and sanitize your hands. Remove the bin bag at the end of your shift and dispose of it

- After exiting the vehicle, remove your clean gloves and leave them on a cleaned surface in the cabin

- Stand away from the vehicle on exiting and immediately socially distance yourself from your colleagues.  Retrieve your belongings (rucksack, equipment etc) one at a time from the boot and distance yourself from the vehicle once done to ensure you maintain social distancing from your colleagues.  Do not stand shoulder to shoulder, and walk to the site entrance maintaining 2m distance from your colleagues at all times.

Where public transport is the only option for workers, you should consider:

 - Changing and staggering site hours to reduce congestion on public transport

- Avoid using public transport during peak times (05:45 - 07:30 and 16:00 - 17:30)

In line with the latest World Health Organisation guidance, the wearing of masks within vehicles is not necessary provided that occupants have no symptoms of COVID-19 (if you do have symptoms, you should not be in the vehicle -see item 3 above). Please observe the previous advice in respect of coughs and sneezes, and always ensure excellent personal hygiene as per the Government guidance e.g. washing hands etc.

Site access points

The following should be implemented at site access/egress points:

- Introduce staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact

- Monitor site access points to enable social distancing - the site may need to change the number of access points, either increase to reduce congestion or decrease to enable monitoring

- Do not use entry systems that require skin contact e.g. fingerprint scanners. One person should be employed to collect names of persons entering and leaving sites at an access point

- All workers to wash or clean their hands before entering or leaving the site

- Allow plenty of space (at least two metres) between people waiting to enter the site

- All commonly contacted surfaces in reception, office, access control and delivery areas e.g. scanners, turnstiles, screens, telephone handsets, desks, are to be regularly cleaned with disinfectant wipes particularly during peak flow times

- Ensure the number of people in attendance at site inductions is reduced and held outdoors wherever possible

- Drivers should remain in their vehicles if the load will allow it and must wash or clean their hands before unloading goods and materials.

Hand washing

- Use dedicated handwashing facilities in addition to the usual welfare facilities if on a large footprint site or there are significant numbers of personnel on-site

- Ensure soap and freshwater is always readily available. Report any deficiency immediately

- Ensure hand sanitiser(minimum 60% alcohol-based) is available where handwashing facilities are unavailable. Report any deficiency immediately

- Report any unclean hand washing facilities and deficient soap and sanitiser levels

- Report any under-provision of suitable and sufficient rubbish bins for hand towels with regular removal and disposal

Toilet facilities

- Restrict the number of people using toilet facilities at any one time. Obey instructions or the welfare attendant. Wash hands before and after using the facilities

- Report any deficiency in the cleaning regimes for toilet facilities, particularly door handles, locks and the toilet flush

- Portable toilets should be avoided wherever possible but were in use these should be cleaned and emptied more frequently

- Report any deficiency in the provision of suitable and sufficient rubbish bins for hand towels with regular removal and disposal

Canteens and eating arrangements

With cafés and restaurants having been closed across the UK, canteens cannot operate as normal. Whilst there is a requirement for construction sites to provide a means of heating food and making hot drinks, these are exceptional circumstances and where it is not possible to introduce a means of keeping equipment clean between uses, kettles and microwaves etc. must be removed from use. The workforce is also be required to stay on-site once they have entered it and not use local shops.

- Dedicated eating areas should be identified on-site to reduce food waste and contamination

- Break times should be staggered to reduce congestion and contact

- Hand cleaning facilities or hand sanitiser should be available at the entrance of any room where people eat and must be used by workers when entering and leaving the area

- Workers should bring pre-prepared meals and refillable drinking bottles from home

- Workers should sit 2 metres apart from each other whilst eating and avoid all contact- this maybe 1 person per table

- Where catering is provided on-site, it should provide pre-prepared and wrapped food only

- Payments should be taken by contactless card wherever possible

- Crockery, eating utensils, cups etc. should be either disposable or should be brought by individuals form home and returned with them at the end of the working day for washing etc

- Drinking water should be provided, with enhanced cleaning measures for the tap mechanism

- Tables should be cleaned between each use

- All rubbish should be put straight in the bin and not left for someone else to clear up

- All areas used for eating must be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each break and shift, including chairs, door handles, vending machines and payment devices.

Changing facilities, showers and drying rooms

- Introduce staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact

- Enhanced cleaning of all facilities throughout the day and at the end of each day should be introduced.  Report any deficiency in the cleanliness of facilities

- The maximum occupancy levels of the facility are dictated by the ability for users to maintain a minimum of 2 metres social distance at all times

- Report any deficiency in the provision of suitable and sufficient rubbish bins in these areas with regular removal and disposal

- If possible, the workforce to take work clothes home to wash/clean there.

Avoiding close working

There will be situations where it is not possible or safe for workers to distance themselves from each other by 2 metres.

General Principles:

- Non-essential physical work that requires close contact between workers should not be carried out

- Work requiring skin to skin contact should not be carried out

- Plan all other work to minimise contact between workers

- Re-usable PPE should be thoroughly cleaned after use and not shared between workers

- Single-use PPE should be disposed of so that it cannot be reused

- Stairs should be used in preference to lifts or hoists

- Where lifts or hoists must be used, lower the capacity and numbers carried to reduce congestion and maintain social distancing between colleagues

- Ensure touchpoints, doors, buttons etc. are cleaned regularly.  Report any deficiency in this regard

- Increase ventilation in enclosed spaces

- Regularly clean the inside of vehicle cabs and between use by different operators

Site meetings:

- Only essential meeting participants should attend, ensuring social distancing practice is maintained. It is strongly preferred to conduct meetings by conference call / Skype etc.

- Attendees should be two metres apart from each other

- Rooms should be well ventilated / windows opened to allow fresh air circulation

- Consider holding meetings in open areas where possible

For further information please use links below:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

www.gov.uk/coronavirus

www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance

www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1

www.fortel.co.uk/

www.fortel.co.uk/covid19

https://fortel.co.uk/toolkit

Media Contact

Fortel Services Limited

*****@fortel.co.uk

01902603409

33-35 Wednesfield Road Willenhall

https://fortel.co.uk/

Source :Fortel

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