Have you considered workplace testing for Covid-19?
Considerations for COVID-19 Self Testing in your work place:
- The who, how and when – will you test all staff, or just a certain department? When will you test and how are you going to test?
- What test will you use and do you have appropriate testing facilities?
- What policies do you have in place or need to introduce to deal with data management and absence from work?
- Is this mandatory or voluntary?
- Would the programme conflict with any current employment, data or health and safety obligations? Morally, will you create friction with your workforce?
A period of consultation
It is not recommended that any testing programme be implemented without prior consultation with your workforce. Any unions will need to be consulted and in order to be successful, you will want your team to be on board with your programme.
The ICO have further guidance on implementing a testing programme and explains further obligations to consider including data privacy for employees.
The nitty gritty of testing
A testing programme is only successful if tests are carried out and processed correctly. Handling test kits also comes with its own set of regulations when determining how to store and dispose of them.
For any positive results, there are obligations to notify the appropriate authority and NHS Test and Trace . This will fall to both the employer and employee with any breeches of isolation potentially incurring a fine, let alone the risk of further infections within the workforce.
Benefits of testing are obvious
There are a lot of considerations for implementing a work place Covid-19 testing programme. The considerations must be weighed against the potential risk to an outbreak and financial implication to the business. It is widely documented that staff have concerns about being able to work safely and workplace testing could offer a lot of reassurance.
If you are implementing workplace testing, we have a variety of testing booth solutions, social distancing signage as well as PPE options that are flexible to work within the environment you have. To chat through your options, click to request a call back, call 024 7667 3415 or email [email protected]