Free: Download a coronavirus safety assessment tool for your workplace

Facilities management firm Sitemark has drafted a comprehensive risk assessment tool to help businesses mitigate danger during the coronavirus outbreak – and is today making it available free to all.

Experts at independent firm Sitemark have spent time drawing up a detailed action plan relating to things like hygiene, cleaning, visitor restrictions and employee behaviour.

It also covers what to do in the event of a hygiene breach, including things like deep cleaning and even a building closure.

The strategy was initially drawn up on behalf of the firm’s clients, but company bosses have now decided to make it free to all in recognition of the severity of the unfolding crisis.

The assessment’s application will vary from business to business and it is intended to be used alongside existing risk assessment policies and government guidelines.

However, the hope is that it will help facilities managers to identify the control measures to consider to minimise the risk of workplace infections.

Sitemark has identified five areas to be assessed for control measures:

• Site control – access points, visitor restrictions and visitor hygiene, non-touch dispensers and door mechanisms
• Cleaning provision – specification frequency, schedule definitions, service provider contingency, chemical use, curtains/blinds, and rugs/mats, swab testing and steam cleaning
• Signage & education – hand-washing signage, hand-washing videos and update alerts
• Building user behaviours – home working, dress code, travel reduction, handshaking, workspace hygiene and self-isolation
• Contingency plans – building closure plan, contract clarification, deep clean provider, deep clean methodology and sick pay policy

The tool will require companies to enter an impact and adoption score for each assessment, then use a calculation in the tool to generate a score that will suggest the overall site risk level.

Sitemark’s experience of benchmarking more than 300 service providers across 7,000 sites has given it a unique position from which to advise businesses.

Mike Boxall, Managing Director at Sitemark, said: “The impact of coronavirus is unprecedented and we must all do what we can to lessen the impact and prevent the spread of infection.

“Although an increasing number of people are now working from home, for many businesses that’s not possible. It’s therefore essential that facilities and building managers identify control measures to minimise the risk of workplace infections.

“We’ve made this risk assessment tool available to Business Leader’s audience to give each user a thorough list of control measures to consider.

“The tool is best used on a regular basis to ensure that control measures are working and the risk level is not increasing.

“When used alongside existing risk assessment policies and government guidelines, our hope is that businesses will be able to keep their employees safe and healthy during this difficult time.”

Sitemark’s risk assessment tool can be downloaded here.