COVID-19 Risk Assessment
This risk assessment is in addition to the hall’s health and safety risk assessment and covers only those risks arising from the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Many of the controls are defined in detail in the COVID‑19 Safety Precautions. The relevant paragraphs are referenced as [CV19SP para number] below.
What is the hazard?
Who might be harmed, where and how?
Controls to mitigate risk
Infection spread by someone who attends a meeting whilst affected by COVID‑19 symptoms.
Anyone who interacts with the potentially infected person or touches surfaces they have touched.
Persons with symptoms should not be visiting the premises.
“Do not Enter if …” notices at every entrance to the building
Included in the “Help Keep St Catherine’s Village Hall COVID 19 Secure” poster at entrances and within the main hall
Hirers instructed to manage attendance [CV19SP 1(ii)]
Someone becomes unwell with COVID‑19 symptoms during a meeting.
Everyone present is at risk of infection.
Hirers instructed on responding. Note that the meeting must be abandoned [CV19SP 5(iii)]
Seat in coffee room allocated as isolation area
Detailed advice and essential materials added to First Aid box.
Subsequent deep clean to be undertaken by our cleaning contractor who has the expertise to do it safely and will provide their own PPE
Someone fails to wear a face covering.
Increased risk to anyone not achieving full social distancing while being spoken to by the person without a covering
Reminder posters at entrances and within the building.
Hirers instructed to encourage wearing of face covering whilst remaining aware of approved exceptions [CV19SP 4(iv)]
Attendees fail to observe mingling and spacing guidelines
Virus may spread to a large group of persons
Guidelines withdrawn by Government
Risk of infection from someone sneezing etc.
Anyone nearby
“Catch it, Bin it, Kill it” posters in key locations
Hirers instructed to encourage wearing of face covering whilst remaining aware of approved exceptions [CV19SP 4(iv)]
Simultaneous meetings with different group leaders make control of access to shared facilities (e.g. accessible toilet) difficult to manage.
Unintended interaction between groups could result in cross infection.
Guidelines for users provided [CV19SP 1(iv)]
Bookings that require shared access will not be accepted
Becoming infected from surfaces whilst undertaking cleaning.
Cleaners and hirers
Professional cleaners will follow safety instructions from their employer
Instruction for hirers provided [CV19SP 3(ii), 6(iii)]
Surfaces left infected at the end of a meeting could be a hazard to subsequent users.
Hirers and visitors
Hirers instructed to clean both before and after each event [CV19SP 1(v)(c), 3(ii), 6(ii)]
Risk of infection from rubbish remaining after an event.
Anyone, but especially someone clearing up the rubbish.
Hirers instructed to remove all rubbish from the building at the end of each event. [CV19SP 6(iv)]
Regular professional cleaning will catch any failure of the hirers, but after some delay.
Infection spread because of inadequate hand washing and sanitising
Anyone
Sanitisers at all entrances
“Wash your hands more often” posters around the hall
“How to wash your hands” posters by every hand basin
Contractors undertaking occasional maintenance works:
Contractor may not clean surfaces before and after undertaking work.
Planned works may overrun.
Contractor and hirers may not be aware of each other’s expectations.
Anyone
Increased time space between bookings and contractor activity will be allocated.
On each occasion the risk will be assessed with the contractor and measures agreed.
Use of our regular cleaning contractor will be co ordinated with the works.
Social distancing may fail if people enter and exit the building through the same door, especially as all the external doors have no vision panels.
The Club Room and Coffee Room doors are approached from steps which makes them susceptible to the problem. The main door to the Main Hall is likely to have multiple people passing through in a short time.
Club Room occupancy restricted. [CV19SP 1(ii)]
Coffee Room external door restricted to a keyholder opening-up and closing the building
One-way system in the Main Hall with the normal main door used for entry only, and the emergency exit door used as an exit only. [CV19SP 4(i), 6(ii)]
Signage provided
Social distancing failure
Visitors arriving or leaving the hall via the narrow external path by the kitchen.
Taped 2-metre sections marked up on the narrow path next to the kitchen to encourage social distancing
Social distancing failure
Queuing for use of the sanitisers and Test and Trace registration at the Main Hall Entrance could result in crowding.
2-metre markings added to approach area
Social distancing failure
Kitchen is too small to allow two persons doing anything significant to keep 2 metres apart.
2 metre rule withdrawn by Government
Hirers asked to consider requesting visitors to bring own individual refreshments. [CV19SP 1(iv)]
Social distancing failure
Coffee room has single door to the main hall, so maintaining social distancing between a group moving in and out would be difficult to maintain.
Coffee room access limited to use by small number of people. [CV19SP 1(iv)]
Social distancing failure
Ladies and gent’s toilet areas too small for social distancing between two persons.
Shared corridor space by ladies and gent’s doors may result in momentary social distancing failure in the event of simultaneous leaving from both areas.
Hirers instructed to manage access to ladies and gents and limit to one person at a time in each area.
Momentary loss of social distancing in corridor low risk for non-vulnerable persons
Vulnerable persons to be asked to use the accessible toilet which opens to a more open corridor area. [CV19SP 5(ii)]
Infected materials such as tissues left outside the hall
Anyone who chooses to tidy up the car park or pathways
Trustees to check occasionally. Use plastic gloves if clearing.
Hall users are generally very well behaved and rarely leave litter.
Door furniture, window handles, light switches, tables wash basins etc. could be infected from previous event
Any area that may be accessed by a hirer.
Hirers instructed to clean anything they may touch or have touched. [CV19SP 3(ii), 6(ii)]
Regular cleaning reduces the risk at certain times.
Chairs with upholstered fixed seat cushions and back may retain viruses. The upholstery cannot be readily cleaned between use.
Main Hall seating suffers from this problem
Hirers instructed to clean the accessible metal and plastic chair edges. [CV19SP 3(ii)]
Social distancing may fail if the hirer arranges seating inappropriately
All attendees at an event may be put at risk
Guidance provided to hirers [CV19SP 3(i)]
Stored items may be infected
Anyone using the items
Hirers instructed to clean items before and after use [CV19SP 3(ii), 6(iii)]
Legionella may build up in water systems during hall closure
Anyone
Cleaners flush at weekly intervals during periods of closure.
Systems flushed before re-opening.
Temperatures checked on all water heaters that store hot water before re-opening.