Last updated: 24/09/2020

Back in Business – Operating Safely during the coronavirus pandemic

Are you a Cornish business in need of guidance and advice, on how reopening post COVID 19 will affect you? Business Regulatory Support are here to help you open your business, as quickly as possible, once restrictions allow and in a safe and compliant way.

We have produced up to date guidance from Government, specifically for all business sectors. This will ensure you get the information YOU need. We also have a series of webinars, to talk you through the changes and also invite any questions you may have.

For business owners with questions or concerns about regulatory matters, we have up to date advice and guidance relating to COVID 19.

The government have issued guidance to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

Test and Trace - for full details of:

  • the information required
  • the list of designated businesses
  • how to get the QR poster

Check out the Government guidance below:

Government guidance for businesses and organisations on how to recognise, contain and report incidents of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Guidance from our Trading Standards team covering bookings and deposits affected by COVID-19.

The Healthy Workplace team have published wellbeing guidance for workplaces and returning to work. This guide provides some useful tips and information on how to support your own or your employee’s wellbeing.

Government guidance relating to Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions, and how to make your own.

Business Recovery Guide

Cornwall Council are pleased to introduce a guide for businesses. This will help ensure they reopen safely and trade in a responsible manner to minimise the risks from COVID19. Many businesses have been closed for a period of time and premises left empty. This brings with it a range of risks that need to be addressed so that business can open safely.

We are adapting to the ‘next normal’. The guide will be kept up to date with the latest guidance on managing Coronavirus risks. This means you will have the latest information in one place.

The guide covers the following:

  • Working Safely – Coronavirus
  • Cleaning and Disinfection
  • Food Safety (Reopening safely)
  • Structure and maintenance
  • Test and Trace
  • Health and Safety ( things to think about prior to reopening)
  • Fire Safety

This guide is appropriate for all small to medium sized businesses including the leisure, office, care and retail sectors. As guidance changes it will be constantly updated so keep checking back for changes and updates.

Tourism Businesses may find the following guidance particularly relevant:

Fire Safety

If your business is starting to operate again there are some key Fire Safety matters for you to consider. This leaflet is designed to provide some helpful assistance. There is also an easy to follow Fire Safety checklist available to download.

Should you have any further queries then visit the Cornwall Fire and Fire and Rescue Service website.

P.P.E

Commercial Food Safety Officer discusses how P.P.E should be used correctly.

Business Resources

The following resources have been developed for businesses.  They can be downloaded, referred to and displayed.

Reporting an outbreak posters

Sector specific posters available for businesses to download and refer to. This information provides key steps to quickly identify and contain any potential COVID-19 outbreak. If you are concerned about other possible health issues then you should follow your existing processes.

Please note these posters are for printing and are not accessible for screen readers.

Webinars

Cornwall Council have put together a series of webinars. Aimed to help businesses operate safely during the coronavirus pandemic. The following webinars were hosted in June, July and August and are available for playback.

Retail Businesses

Food retail has been key to keep the country running. Other retail shops are likely to be re-opening soon. Staff and customers need to be confident that their welfare and safety has been considered. They need to know that businesses are operating safely.
The webinar aimed to provide some clarity around the law. Bringing together the huge amounts of guidance in a focussed, practical and helpful way.

Childcare Settings

People are returning to work and therefore we understand that child care settings will be feeling the pressure to re-open. There is a feeling that there are currently more questions than answers. Parents are understandably concerned about their child(s) health and wellbeing.

Our webinar outlined relevant legal requirements. It provides a focus on Government guidance and how this can be applied in practice. We hope that the webinar will help you to prepare for re-opening. 

Food Businesses

The pace of change is fast within the food industry. We know that there is still confusion amongst many about which businesses can and cannot open. Indeed some ‘closed’ businesses are still able to offer some or limited services. For those businesses which can open there are concerns about how to trade and/or re-open safety.

The webinar aimed to provide some clarity around the law. It brings together the huge amounts of guidance in a focussed, practical and helpful way. 

Retail and Market Traders

This webinar followed the same theme as our previous retail webinar. It features guidance for outdoor market traders.

Holiday Accommodation / Tourism

Holiday accommodation is likely to be one of the last sectors to reopen. This webinar is designed to give businesses the information they need so that they:

  • can plan how to open safely
  • have all the correct protocols and precautions in place
  • hit the ground running when the green light to start trading is given

We outline relevant legal requirements and provide a focus on Government guidance and how this can be applied in practice.

Hairdressing, Beauty and Tattoo

Our webinar aimed to provide some clarity around the law. Bringing together the huge amounts of guidance in a focussed, practical and helpful way.

There will be ample opportunity to ask questions, our expert panel can help support your preparation for opening safely. It should be useful to the following sectors hairdressing, beauty, massage, tattoo and piercing, microblading and body treatments.

The government has issued guidance for people who provide close contact services.

Hairdressers and Barbers - Bitesize webinar.

We gave hairdressers an opportunity to get in touch and ask further questions.

Our panel of experts discussed::

  • coronavirus regulation
  • best practice in relation to your industry.

The session involved a 15 minute run through of the key points to consider before opening.

We then took questions from the audience. Addressing their concerns and business practices.

We understand there is still some confusion and uncertainty about requirements. This gives you an opportunity to make sure you are operating as safely as possible in the next normal.

The slides used in this presentation are available for download.

Tourism - Sector Specific Bite Size Webinars.

Following our webinars on re opening after lockdown. We're giving tourism another opportunity to get in touch. and ask those burning questions.

A panel of experts will be discussing:

  • coronavirus regulation and best practice
  • licensing
  • fire
  • food
  • and consumer law

We were joined by Malcolm Bell from Visit Cornwall. who can help you understand the work being done to get Cornish Tourism back on its feet.

The sessions involved a 15 minute run through of the key points to consider before opening. We will take questions from the audience, specific to your concerns and business practices.

As regulators we understand there is still some confusion and uncertainty about requirements. This gives you an opportunity to make sure you are operating as safely as possible in the new normal.

Please email questions to businessadvice@cornwall.gov.uk

Topics and slides from these are listed below:

Pubs and Restaurants.

With good news about the imminent opening of business. The webinar aimed to provide some clarity around the law. It brings together the guidance in a

  • focussed
  • practical
  • and helpful way

Ensuring you can re-open your business safely.

We touched on the latest information and responsibilities about

Gyms, fitness centres and dance studios

It’s no coincidence that sports facilities are one of the last sectors to re-open. The challenges for operating safely are obvious. Clients are desperate to return but operators are feeling anxious.

This webinar aims to distil the guidance and offer support to operators. There will be a ‘Questions and Answers’ session. Participants will have the opportunity to seek clarification on application of the guidance.

We’ll cover the range of sports facilities including:

  • gyms
  • fitness centres
  • dance studios.

As regulators we understand there is still some confusion and uncertainty about requirements. This gives you an opportunity to make sure you are operating as safely as possible in the next normal.

Please note that swimming pools and spas are not covered in this session.

The Growth and Skills Hub

The Growth Hub and Skills Hub are here to help you access the right support and training opportunities for your business. This can be accessed through a FREE business or skills review.

Need a helping hand but unsure which way to turn? Your business may currently be on pause, you may be continuing to work and possibly even busier than ever. Whatever situation you find your business in, we can help you identify and access advice, support and training to move forward in a way that is right for you.

We are two projects working hand-in-hand to help businesses realise their potential, why not find out what we could do for your business? Call us on 01209 70660 or check out the website ciosgrowthhub.com

Growth Skills Hub - Pause Plan Go Logo - Support for local businesses