Royal Mail Group – Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment Update Version 11:
See attached copy of the Royal Mail Group – Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment Update Version 11 along with a covering message from Royal Mail Group Safety Director Phil Graham. This updates LTB 047/2022 issued on 3 February 2022 and RMG Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessments Update V10.
In line with the ongoing commitment from Royal Mail Group to keep the CWU informed of any changes or updates made to the Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessments, CWU/HQ were advised of the revised RMG Unit Risk Assessment approach with version 10 (which has now been updated to version 11), which amalgamated the previously issued Functional Risk Assessments into one Risk Assessment that applies to all RMG sites and this was communicated to Branches, Regions and Reps via LTBs.
This Risk Assessment incorporates the changes communicated in October 2021, December 2021, January 2022 and February 2022.
Current Government guidance issued on 1st April 2022
Following Royal Mail Group’s ongoing review of Government guidance and RMG operations, RMG has updated the Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment released on Thursday 10 February 2022. The changes reflect the UK Government guidance issued on Friday 1 April 2022 (“reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace”) and the withdrawal of the Working Safely guidance.
The updated RMG Unit Risk Assessment Version 11 attached, reflects the current Government guidance which can been seen at this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reducing-the-spread-of-respiratory-infections-including-covid-19-in-the-workplaceand it covers these topics: –
- Who this information is for (employers, workforce/workplace managers).
- Know which symptoms to look out for – COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.
- What to do if a member of staff has symptoms of a respiratory infection, including. COVID-19 (try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you no longer feel unwell).
- Actions to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19.
- Encourage and enable vaccination.
- Let fresh air in.
- Maintain a clean workplace.
- Outbreaks in the workplace.
- Management of members of staff who are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
- Risk assessment – the explicit requirement for employers to COVID-19 in their health and safety risk assessments has been removed.
- Employers should continue to comply with the requirements for cleaning, ventilation and welfare facilities in the workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 or the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 to control occupational health and safety risks.
- Employers have a duty to consult with their employees and safety representatives, on
health and safety matters. The Health and Safety Executive has issued guidance on how to keep people safe and healthy at work.
RMG Coronavirus Update Risk Assessment V11 Subjects covered:
- Maintaining a clean workplace including vehicles
- Hand Hygiene
- Adequate Ventilation
- Touch Points
- Contacts
- Handling Test Kits
- First Aid
- Mental Health, Stress and Anxiety
- Serious illness for employees with a weakened immune system
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Signage
- Face Coverings
- Vaccination
- Local Controls
- Third Party Requirements
- DSE Assessments
- Feeling First Class Support
The Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment V11 has been circulated to all Royal Mail Group Unit Managers/PiCs this week. Unit Managers/PiCs will need to download the Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment and jointly review with the Union Area/Unit Safety Representative, remembering that all staff, including temporary staff, need to understand the outputs of the Risk Assessment and the arrangements that have been put in place (this should be covered at induction). Any specific local tasks or controls that were in the previous assessment that are still required and/or any that are now required need to be added. The Unit Manager/PiC then needs to sign the assessment by entering their name and clicking the submit button, ensuring they are using the latest version. A copy of the Risk Assessment must be saved and held for reference in the event of a visit from an enforcement authority officer. They should review the Risk Assessment when necessary, for example following any cluster or increase in confirmed positive coronavirus cases in the unit. The RMG Safety Health and Environment (SHE) team will be contacting units to support unit managers with no coronavirus unit Risk Assessment submitted.
Attachment:
An example copy of the Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment V11 is attached for ASRs information and reference. The full working version is accessible on the RMG Intranet/Share Point site.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
22LTB222 Royal Mail Group – Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessment Update Version 11
13th May – Risk Assessment Update Version 11
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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