Working safely during COVID-19

Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone is working hard towards positive outcomes and to sustain support for people using services. As we deal with the consequences of the pandemic you may find you need to take on a new role or work differently, providing care and support by phone or through technology rather than face to face visits.

You may be working on your own more than usual, without close or direct supervision. If that’s the case, you are defined as a lone worker.

As a lone worker you face the same health and safety risks as other workers do, but potential impacts can be increased because there might not be anyone else to provide immediate help or support if you need it.

This resource contains information and advice to help you. If you are new to the workforce, please use this guidance and discuss it with colleagues if you need support. If you are an experienced social service worker, we hope this information will increase your confidence and help you share learning with others. If you have any concerns about your work you should talk to your manager, supervisor, employer or health and safety representative.

This resource aligns with the suite of SSSC COVID-19 resources to support social service workers, volunteers and carers.

Working at home

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges which mean you might be working differently than before, by working alone at home on a more continuous basis.

This section provides brief advice for keeping yourself safe in your workplace if you are working in your own home.

Working from home can present various issues you might not have encountered before. These will require adjustments to the way you normally work. You might have difficulties setting up a workspace, accessing your organisation’s online systems and managing your time.

Your employer should give you advice and support on working at home, including how to assess your workstation to make sure any risks, like eye and hand strain or backache, are minimised.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) check list (PDF) on display screen equipment may help you set up your workspace.

This short Health and Safety Executive video explains how to set up a workstation at home. There is no sound on this video.

If you need to use teleconference or video technology as part of your work because face to face meetings are no longer possible, your employer will advise you on the safest and most secure way to do this.

The SSSC has a short Working from home guide (PDF) to support you with practical tips.

Healthy Working Lives from Public Health Scotland contains information on the health risks of working at home.

ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has helpful guidance for employers and employees

Working at home can have an impact on your wellbeing and mental health, and it can be hard to maintain a work/life balance. There are some practical measures you can take to help make a difference to your mental health and wellbeing.

Key points

Establish a designated workspace.
Take regular breaks throughout the day to stand, stay hydrated and get away from your desk.
Switch off your phone and computer when you are finished working.
Set yourself clear boundaries about home and working times.
Make sure you have regular contact with your line manager and colleagues via phone calls or video technology.
Take the time to speak to friends and family.
Get fresh air and exercise on a regular basis.

It’s ok not to feel ok. If you feel that things are more difficult or challenging than usual or you notice differences in your mood, speaking to someone about it could help. There is a range of support available and your employer also has a responsibility to support you with your mental health and wellbeing.

The National Wellbeing Hub has some useful information and advice about working from home.

Staying psychologically well guidance by NHS Lothian and City of Edinburgh Council may help you adapt to providing support from home.

You might also find the SSSC wellbeing and resilience resource helpful.

The current COVID-19 pandemic will affect us all in different ways; emotionally, physically and socially. You and the people you support as a social service worker will experience varying levels of stress, anxiety and even hardship.

When you are working at home you will have to connect with people and maintain relationships by phone or through video technology. You should acknowledge that engaging with people who become or are distressed can impact on your own wellbeing. It’s vitally important that you look after yourself. There are steps you can take to help you do that and to build your resilience.

The Turas website hosted by NHS Education for Scotland (NES), has resources to support your wellbeing and includes sections with advice on managing stress in challenging circumstances.

Working in the community

Working on your own, visiting people at home, spending time travelling or being alone in a community-based venue can be a feature of working in social services.

Working on your own can present some risks, as there may be no-one nearby who can help or support you if there is an accident or incident.

There are many risk factors which can impact on your safety at work, from accidents such as trips and falls to how you use work equipment. You might also encounter hazards like violent and aggressive behaviour.

To ensure your personal safety you should know your employer’s lone working or health and safety policy and procedures and be familiar with any relevant equipment.

You should also have access to relevant risk assessments and be familiar with your organisation’s procedures and arrangements that aim to keep you safe.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust Research Institute defines personal safety as ‘an individual’s ability to go about their everyday life free from the threat or fear of psychological, emotional or physical harm from others’.

During the COVID-19 pandemic you might be encountering or working with people who are experiencing high levels of distress. When working in the community you should assess your surroundings and be on the lookout for signs that you might need to take action.

The Royal College of Nursing has published guidance on personal safety when working alone. It includes a helpful diagram setting out some risk factors that lone workers should consider when preparing for home visits.

Royal College of Nursing Risk factors diagram

A circular flow diagram which presents risk factors to consider before undertaking a home visit.

To keep yourself safe when out in the community, take time to understand your local lone working arrangements. Practice how to use the safety apps, alarms or devices you might have to check in, update your location, route and timescales for your shift.

If you spend any time driving alone, particularly in isolated or unfamiliar areas, be sure to follow your employers’ guidance on this.

Key points

Make sure someone knows where you are and how long you will be.
Always carry a charged mobile phone or organisation’s device and know who to contact if something goes wrong.
Look around, check to see if everything seems ok.
If you feel at risk leave the situation to go somewhere safe and notify your line manager.
Only use de-escalation techniques if you are not at immediate risk and feel safe and confident to do so.

Useful information

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides information for lone workers.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has a personal safety at work leaflet (PDF).

The Health and Safety Executive and the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) publish useful guides on managing road risk.

If your role involves manual moving or assisting someone to do a task, it’s vital you get advice and relevant training from your employer beforehand.

The Heath and Safety Executive (HSE) Manual handling passport scheme document helps employers, managers, manual handling practitioners and employees reduce the risk of injury from manual handling.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has materials on Turas including videos as part of a virtual training programme on moving individuals safely.

In your role you are responsible for safeguarding and protecting the health and safety of individuals and families you support. This can be in an individual’s own home, another service or a wider community setting.

You should review records, discuss and gather information from colleagues to consider the factors which may indicate there is a risk associated with a visit to someone or a family that you support. The individuals you are supporting may be experiencing additional stress and anxiety due to COVID-19. It’s important you are mindful of their circumstances and the potential for increased risk as a result of social isolation.

Our COVID-19 Adult support and protection quick guide highlights specific signs of harm to be aware of.

You may be under more pressure in caring for people during COVID-19 and while it is important to remain flexible to meet current challenges it’s also important to know your limitations. You should always work within the expected parameters of your role and capability and know you are supported by your employer. If at any time you’re not sure what to do, speak with your supervisor or manager at the earliest opportunity so there is a clear understanding of what is expected of you and what steps to take. There may be different expectations regarding your care role if you are supporting someone who is unwell in their own home.

To help you to understand the key principles of safe and effective delegation, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has a learning pack for support workers in health and care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes what to do if you feel unable to accept a task being delegated to you.

Scottish Government has produced guidance for social workers on home visits and direct contact interviews with service users.

Standards of practice

National Occupational Standards (NOS) form the basis of vocational qualifications required to work in social services in Scotland. The NOS set out the knowledge, skill and understanding needed to do a particular job, to a nationally recognised level of competence and contain descriptions of best practice which can be used to tailor training. There are NOS for promoting health, safety and security at work which comprise core units in Social Service and Healthcare, Social Service (Children and Young People) and Leadership and Management for Care Services SVQs. These are at SVQ 2, 3 and 4, Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) levels 5, 6, 7.

The key units focused on health and safety and safeguarding are:

Additional resources and what managers can do

As new people join the workforce during the challenges of COVID-19 it’s important you support them in their role. Your existing colleagues may also need extra support and understanding of their changed circumstances at this difficult time. Here is some advice that might help you to support others

This resource aligns with the suite of SSSC COVID-19 resources to support social service workers, volunteers and carers.

ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has helpful guidance for employers and employees

Scottish Government, Police Scotland, Health and Safety Executive and local authorities recently released a statement on safe workplaces which includes relevant information.

Working on your own in the community can be demanding. Now more than ever it is vital you make time for formal and informal contact to help workers feel part of the team, know they are not alone and they have the support of their colleagues.

You should be confident to support new colleagues by explaining your employer’s up to date procedures and equipment for your service as part of their induction. Support colleagues to follow the guidance on risk assessment and arrangements to keep in touch using apps or devices to share information on their location, route and estimated timelines while out.

Key points

Keep in touch with colleagues.
Be sure colleagues follow risk assessment procedures.
Regularly check colleagues know what to do should something happen.

To support workers who are new in post you should deliver an induction and explain any risk assessments related to their role. The following information might be useful.

The SSSC has produced Core Training Guidance in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) with resources and links to support employers with training for redeployed workers, temporary workers and volunteers.

The SSSC Induction guide: Health and Safety resource is a useful starting place for workers in a new job. This eBook can be downloaded to Apple and Android devices. It can also be downloaded to Chromebook and Windows.

National Occupational Standards (NOS) form the basis of vocational qualifications required to work in social services in Scotland. The NOS set out the knowledge, skill and understanding needed to do a particular job, to a nationally recognised level of competence and contain descriptions of best practice which can be used to tailor training. There are NOS for promoting health, safety and security at work which comprise core units in Social Service and Healthcare, Social Service (Children and Young People) and Leadership and Management for Care Services SVQs. These are at SVQ 2, 3 and 4, Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) levels 5, 6, 7.

The key units focused on health and safety are:

The SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers has several codes relevant to lone working and health and safety.

3.3. Follow practices and procedures designed to keep me and other people safe from violent and abusive behaviour at work.
3.8. Keep to my employer’s health and safety policies, including those relating to substance misuse.
4.2. Follow risk assessment policies and procedures to assess whether the behaviour of people who use services presents a risk of harm to themselves or others.
4.3. Take necessary steps to reduce the risks of people who use services harming themselves or other people.
5.7. Put myself or other people at unnecessary risk.
6.1.Meet relevant standards of practice and effective way.

The SSSC has produced Core Training Guidance in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) with resources and links to support employers with training for redeployed workers, temporary workers and volunteers.

The SSSC Induction guide: Health and Safety resource is a useful starting place for workers in a new job. This eBook can be downloaded to Apple and Android devices. It can also be downloaded to Chromebook and Windows.

Skills for Care has produced a guide (PDF) which offers information on what works well for adult social care employers in employing staff who regularly work alone.

There is legislation, as well as regulations and reporting arrangements, which employers and employees must follow. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides information for supporting and protecting those working alone.

The HSE also has specific guidance to protect new workers.

The HSE highlight that workers are as likely to have an accident in the first six months at a workplace as during the whole of the rest of their working life. This page offers six steps to protect new starts.

HSE also has information on health and safety for agency/temporary workers.