If you’ve returned back to your workplace after 18 months off, it probably looks exactly the same – apart from the fact it could have been trapped in a time capsule with old coffee cups and magazines from March 2020 abandoned on desks. The thing is, your office may look the same on the surface – but it isn’t. Here’s why.

1. Hybrid working

Here’s a phrase we weren’t used to hearing pre-pandemic, but if you were one of the millions of office workers who are now working a “hybrid working” model, e.g. a few days based at the office and a few at home, there are a few things to consider.

Firstly, employers need to make sure they are fully compliant with any health and safety protocols. Pre-Covid, you might have had a fire warden on site or a regular first aider present. With hybrid working, have you fully considered how fire safety and first aid will be adequately covered when the “regular” designated person is no longer on site all the time.

2. Health and wellbeing

Whilst health and safety may have focused on physical health pre-pandemic, other factors may well now have come into play. Yes, preventing slips, trips and falls are still very important in keeping everyone safe, but workplaces are now expected to be covid safe too. Have you implemented any protocols for social distancing, implemented stricter hygiene or infection control when at work? Will these need to be increased?

It is not just the physical aspect of health and wellbeing, but mental health too. Lots of people saw the office as an escape to their home lives – will their mental health be affected by long periods of time at home, especially if they are living in shared accommodation or a cramped environment where it might not be as easy to separate working from home life.

Don’t forget, even though staff are working from home, they will still be covered by full health and safety regulations as though they are in the office.

3. Unseen hazards

The pandemic has been nothing but an education of how Covid-19 can be spread easily from person to person even if they aren’t showing symptoms. But, we have seen how Covid-19 isn’t the only unseen hazard in the workplace.

For example, the legionella bacteria can build up quickly in unused water systems, which if ingested can cause respiratory problems. So if your office has been stood empty for long periods of time it is well worth getting these systems checked.

Plus, if your building has any asbestos, it is worth getting this checked or changed while the office remains empty to limit risk to others.

4. It’s not just offices

Don’t forget all workplaces will be different now. To office workers who are returning after long periods working remotely, the differences may be more noticeable. Those who were working through the pandemic will have been living with the changes for quite some time, but it is still well worth checking that all their training is up to date.

Similarly, you may well have onboarded new staff in the pandemic, and now with the return to the workplace safety and related training might now be required to bring these staff members up-to-date to current regulations.

Consultant and Business Development Director, Neil Maidman said:

“Time has almost frozen our office environment, but the health and safety aspect has moved on quite significantly. Now’s the time for business owners to clue themselves up and familiarise themselves with what this new way of working will mean, as we could be in this predicament for many months – if not permanently.”

 H&S Senior Consultant, Cerith Brawn added

“The pandemic has brought with it new responsibilities so we need to make sure we are all doing our bit to keep each other safe and be aware of what our new responsibilities mean both as employers and employees.”

Health and Safety Mentor offer a Beta package, which provides an all-in-one solution for up to date training, Covid protocols, fire, general office risk assessments, policy etc.

Contact us if you would like more information.