Response and preparation for the Coronavirus Outbreak COVID-19
UPDATED: 18.03.2020
The PFI Group are actively and continuously monitoring the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, in line with UK government and NHS health advice and guidelines.
The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers, suppliers and the public is our number one priority.
WHAT WE ARE DOING TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES, THE PUBLIC AND OUR BUSINESS
Protecting our employees in the workplace
- Providing advice and guidance, in talks and posters, on prevention measures
- Providing briefings / memo’s updating staff regarding the company’s latest response
- Ensuring all employees have ready access to washing facilities which are well stocked with soap and paper towels
- Advising use of alcohol based hand sanitiser for all out-of-office colleagues (consultants and installation professionals) to be used when alternative soap-and-water hand-washing facilities are unavailable
- Regular cleaning and disinfecting of all common areas, workstations, countertops and doorknobs
When we will exclude employees or visitors from the workplace
Following the current advice of the government and NHS. Any individual meeting the following criteria will be excluded from any PFI company premises and advised to self-isolate for 14 days:
- Anyone who has returned from any Category 1 country/area (as described by the UK Chief Medical Officer) in the last 14 days – currently Wuhan city, Hubai Province (China), Iran, Daegu or Cheongdo (Republic of Korea) or Italy.
- Anyone who has returned from any Category 2 country/area (as described by the UK Chief Medical Officer) in the last 14 days and feels unwell.
- Anyone who has been in close contact with a confirmed case within the last 14 days
Policies for employees who need to self-isolate
- Payment of statutory sick pay from day 1 for any employee who has been advised to self-isolate
- No need to provide a fit-note or medical evidence beyond advice to isolate
Maximising the ability for employees to work remotely
- Setting up remote-working facilities for staff in office based roles in readiness for potential self-isolation or home-working advice.
- Where practically possible and appropriate, staff are working from home
- Ensuring we have joined-up communications, forecasting, planning, flexibility and capacity control across all PFI Group businesses.
Providing public health advice communications to our employees
- Posting advice notices and posters in communal areas, canteens and bathrooms with the latest available advice and resources from the government and NHS
- Providing advice notices via email to reach all employees not based on-site.
- Vetting all communications to ensure consistency and use of the latest public health advice
- Maintaining an open-door policy to discuss any concerns regarding the virus and/or the company’s efforts and policies relating to it.
Policies around international and domestic travel
Following the current advice provided by the Government and NHS
- There is currently no need to restrict domestic travel within the UK
- Travel to countries/areas affected by the virus (as listed by the UK Chief Medical Officer) is discouraged. Currently, no PFI Group company is undertaking direct business with any of the country’s listed and does not expect any reason for travel to these areas on business.
- To continuously monitor local and government travel advice
Conferences and meetings
- To cancel attendance at public conferences, events and exhibitions
- To use tele- or video-conferencing facilities for meetings where suitable, in particular for any meetings with international attendees
- To cancel all unnecessary face-to-face meeting, to be rearranged using telephone/conferencing facilities.
Training and informing supervisors
- Ensure all supervisors are trained and informed about the implications of the virus, infection control and company policies, and who to contact within each group company to report suspected exposures.
- Ensuring that all supervisors and management understand the latest advice on procedures and who to call in case any employee feels unwell with suspected infection.
Business Continuity
- Ongoing communication, planning and capacity control measures across PFI Group businesses to minimise the impact of absence/self-isolation
- Maintenance of a multi-vendor supply-chain with regular supplier updates and communications.
- Ongoing review of key-material stock capacity enterprisewide