Facilities Managers Should Introduce “Stricter” COVID Measures

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25 September 2020 | Updated 15 October 2020

With COVID-secure guidelines set to become a legal obligation, Bureau Veritas has advised that facilities managers must step up with a more robust and formalised framework to avoid the risk of fines or closure.

This week, Boris Johnson revealed that for retail, leisure, tourism and other sectors, COVID-secure guidelines, introduced in May to help businesses safely reopen post-lockdown, are to become legal obligations. Businesses will be fined and could be closed if they breach these rules.

Bureau Veritas, which has been working with various sectors throughout the coronavirus pandemic to help them implement COVID-secure guidance, has described the move as “monumental”. 

As such, it is encouraging facilities managers not to delay in introducing stricter coronavirus measures – supported with formalised systems and processes and regular monitoring.

“As experts in helping businesses become ‘COVID-secure’, our advice is clear – firms should heed the warning, tighten up their procedures and processes, introduce stricter measures and monitoring if necessary, otherwise they risk being fined.”

–Ken Smith

UK Chief Executive, Bureau Veritas 

Tighten up Procedures and Processes 

Ken Smith, UK Chief Executive at Bureau Veritas UK, said: “In recent weeks, there’s been much public debate and confusion on the lack of consistency in introducing, maintaining and enforcing COVID-secure measures such as social distancing, the wearing of face coverings and hand hygiene.

“From workplaces and schools, through to shops, restaurants and bars, and hotels – in today’s [22 September] speech to the Commons, Boris Johnson has sought to provide clarity to consumers and businesses alike by making it a legal requirement for certain sectors to adhere to the ‘COVID-secure’ measures announced in May.

“The move is monumental and shows that the government is serious about businesses going further in helping to tackle the spread of coronavirus. As experts in helping businesses become ‘COVID-secure’, our advice is clear – firms should heed the warning, tighten up their procedures and processes, introduce stricter measures and monitoring if necessary, otherwise they risk being fined.”

Picture: a photograph of someone holding a clipboard and checklist

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 25 September 2020

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