BEIS ‘Working safely during coronavirus’: nine of 14 workplace guides updated

24 Jul 2020 | 6 min read

Employment analysis: Nine out of 14 of the ’Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)’ guidance documents published originally by BEIS have been updated again to amend and add advice on when to wear face coverings, disposing of face coverings and PPE, working from home, mass gatherings, ventilation and work-related travel.

BEIS: Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) (updated 23 July 2020)

’Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)’ guidance was published originally on 11 May 2020 by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It is a suite of documents that look at different types of work and workplace and consider issues relating to maintaining the safety of workers in each.

Broadly, each workplace-specific guide deals with the following:

• what is meant by the workplace described

• thinking about risk

• who should go to work

• social distancing at work

• managing customers, visitors and contractors

• cleaning and sanitising the workplace

• personal protective equipment (PPE) and face coverings

• managing the workforce, and

• inbound and outbound goods

For further information, see our News analysis of 12 May: Coronavirus (COVID-19): government publishes eight guidance documents on making workplaces safe.

The numbers of work-type / workplace-specific guides provided has grown over time. Since 9 July 2020, there have been 14 guides (see News analysis: BEIS ‘Working safely during coronavirus’: two new workplace guides and three guides updated):

• close contact services

• construction and other outdoor work

• factories, plants and warehouses

• heritage locations

• hotels and other guest accommodation

• labs and research facilities

• offices and contact centres

• other people's homes

• performing arts

• providers of grassroots sport and gym/leisure facilities

• restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services

• shops and branches

• vehicles

• the visitor economy

On 23 July 2020, nine of these workplace documents were updated. The updates relate to the following:

• when to wear face coverings (to coincide with the coming into force on Friday 24 July 2020 of the legislation making this mandatory in many settings: the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) Regulations 2020. SI 2020/791)

• guidance on disposing of face coverings and PPE

• changes to guidance on working from home

• guidance on mass gatherings

• guidance on ventilation

• guidance on work-related travel

• guidance on live performances (in the restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services guidance document only)

Updates to nine of the workplace guides

In summary, the nine workplace guides listed below were updated as follows on 23 July 2020:

• close contact services: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 3) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), ventilation (section 2.2), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• construction and other outdoor work: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 3) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• factories, plants and warehouses: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 2) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), ventilation (section 2.2), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• labs and research facilities: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 2) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), ventilation (section 2.2), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• offices and contact centres: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 2) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), ventilation (section 2.2), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• other people’s homes: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 2) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 3) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), ventilation (section 2.2), live performances (section 4.5), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• shops and branches: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 3) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on mass gatherings (section 2.1), ventilation (section 2.2), disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.2) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

• vehicles: updated to reflect changes to the rules on working from home (sections 1 & 2) and when to wear face coverings (section 6.1). The guidance on disposing of face coverings and PPE (section 5.1) and work-related travel (section 7.2) was also amended

Track change documents

Nine track changes documents in PDF format, illustrating the additions, moves and deletions that have occurred in the nine updated workplace guidance documents can be accessed here:

BEIS Working safely guidance on close contact services: track changes comparison between version as at 10 July and 23 July version

BEIS Working safely guidance on construction and other outdoor work: track changes comparison between 10 July and 23 July versions

BEIS Working safely guidance on factories, plants and warehouses: track changes comparison between 10 July and 23 July versions

BEIS Working safely guidance on labs and research facilities: track changes comparison between 10 July and 23 July versions

BEIS Working safely guidance on offices and contact centres: track changes comparison between 10 July and 23 July versions

BEIS Working safely guidance on other people’s homes: track changes comparison between version as at 10 July and 23 July version

BEIS Working safely guidance on restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services: track changes comparison between 9 July and 23 July versions

BEIS Working safely guidance on shops and branches: track changes comparison between 10 July and 23 July versions

BEIS Working safely guidance on vehicles: track changes comparison between version as at 10 July and 23 July version

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