Update • April 12
Non-essential retailing has re-opened on April 12 allowing flooring stores in
England and Wales to re-open to the public.
Many furnishing stores in
Scotland have already re-opened with the rest of the non-essential shops due to re-open on April 26. The
Northern Ireland government is yet to confirm plans.
- Face masks must still be worn by staff and customers
- Social distancing rules still apply
- Shop may extend their opening hours until 10:00pm to help alleviate crowding indoors
- Home visits are already allowable with appropriate health precautions
The rules on social distancing apply at least up until June 12 by which time a further announcement will have been made.
HOW TO ENSURE YOU ARE SAFE IN STORE AND FOR FITTINGS
The British Retail Consortium has published a guide for retailers to re-open once lockdown restrictions are eased. The Stocklists has added additional guidance for flooring retailers and installers.
The rules are based on the experience of food retailers in recent weeks and the BRC has worked with shop workers union Usdaw to help frame their recommendations.
NOTE:
These rules may be updated in line with the latest Government advice so please check back as the situation develops.
Risk assessments
- Retail employers will be expected to produce a risk assessment for COVID-19 and consult with their staff (shops with less than five staff are not required to produce a written assessment). Further details are given in the Government guidance.
COVID-19 Secure status
- An official poster detailing "Five Steps to Safer Working Together" will have to be signed off by the employer and displayed in store (see download above).
Face masks
- face masks are mandatory for both staff and visitors to your store. Signage at the entrance should reinforce this rule. Customers who do not wear masks are subject to a £100 fine. Staff are encouraged to “take reasonable steps to promote compliance with the law” and can refuse entry to people who do not have a valid exemption under the rules.
Exemptions include children under 11, people with breathing problems and anyone who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability.
Spot checks may be made by local authority officers to ensure compliance with social distancing standards.
Outside your store - Limit number of entry and exit points into and out of store.
- Consider having separate entrance and exit points if possible.
- Use a colleague to meet customers, explain the social distancing requirements and control the number of customers entering.
- Place clear signage outside of the store explaining the social distancing measures in place that customers should follow.
- Encourage customers to shop alone or as a couple only wherever possible. Please bear in mind that this is not always possible.
- Schedule deliveries to avoid crowding in delivery areas.
Inside your store
LAYOUT
- Limit the number of customers in the store at any time.
- Assess the size of the store and its layout, this will enable you to calculate the number of customers who can reasonably follow 2m social distancing. For typical stores, this has been calculated at 10 sq. m. for each customer (see latest report)
- Ensure aisles/walkways are as clear as possible to accommodate 2m social distancing, including some removal of promotional fixtures, lecterns and tombolas.
- In smaller stores, consider whether one-customer-at-a-time and/or an appointment-only system is appropriate.
- Use floor markings inside to facilitate compliance with the social distancing advice of 2 metres.
- Place clear signage throughout the store, reminding customers of the social distancing measures and asking them to follow these rules.
- Consider one-way systems using floor markings and signage to highlight system and direction.
- Use flexiplastic screens to provide a barrier for those working on the tills. These should be included in store cleaning programmes.
- If necessary, use staff to manage the flow of customers to pay points.Where counters are close together, consider closing some.
- Leave non-essential doors open to minimise the number of people who touch them. This does not apply to fire doors.
HYGIENE
- Encourage very regular hand washing
- Provide cleaning stations around the store including hand sanitiser and/or disinfectant wipes or spray.
- Identify and regularly clean key touch points eg. door handles, keypads, stair handrails.
- Encourage customer to leave out pattern books/samples after use so that they can be sanitised between customers. Do not allow pattern books off-site.
- Limit tills, workstations and equipment (even pens!) to one person per shift
- Encourage cashless purchases.
- Consider whether it is safe to keep customer toilets open or if these should be available on request. If open, regular cleaning should include manual multi-person touch points such as door handles, flushes, taps. etc.
OTHER POINTS
- Ask reps to confirm visiting times and ensure you have adequate staffing to deal with them safely. Encourage visits during your quietest times.
- Designate a "social distancing champion" to monitor and encourage best practice on your premises.
Estimates/installations at customers’ homes - Make definite, timed appointments and advise duration of visit.
- Advise customers in advance of your social distancing precautions
- Confirm no-one is self-isolating or shielding at the location.
- Minimise time inside homes, work out estimates offsite.
- Wear gloves and consider reassuring customers by asking if they prefer staff to wear masks.
- Decline offers of drinks and do not use the toilet.
- Use sanitiser immediately before and after visits.
- Sanitise all surfaces touched including door handles and furniture.
- Fitters should not share tools.
- Use fixed teams/partnering on fittings to reduce contact between different people.
- Consider travelling to site in two vehicles to maximise the distancing of two fitters.
- Avoid asking for signatures to sign-off work.
NICF Guidelines
are also available for fitters, issued May 15, 2020.
Click here
to download.
