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Guidance for businesses and workplaces - including laboratories and research facilities - on reducing the risk of COVID-19 and supporting staff and customers.
It has been a long and difficult period since the first cases of COVID-19 appeared in Scotland. The pandemic continues and the virus remains very much with us. Continued collective effort and commitment, particularly in sticking to the rules and guidance in place, will be imperative as we confront the challenging winter ahead. Some precautionary measures remain as mandatory legal requirements in certain settings, additionally some baseline measures remain in guidance.
This guidance is for all businesses and workplaces and provides advice on measures that you should continue to take to reduce risk and support staff and customers.
How to use this guidance
You should use this guidance to consider the risk of transmission of COVID-19 within your premises, and identify the measures you will need to adopt to protect workers and visitors on your premises and your workers when working on your behalf elsewhere.
First published:6 Aug 2021Last updated:6 Dec 2021 - show all updates
Minor update.
Various updates to reflect latest situation.
Minor updates.
Minor updates to reflect changes to vaccine certification scheme.
Update to vaccination and workplace testing and further minor updates to employer and employee responsibilities and related information.
All sections updated.
All sections updated to reflect the latest position.
Related information page updated.
Added information about Covid certification scheme to the chapter on vaccination.
Minor textual changes made to reflect introduction of certification scheme.
Updates to examples in face coverings section.
Added checklist for retail/shops in the supporting documents.
Added checklist for laboratories and research facilities in the supporting documents.
Changes to Face coverings and Precautionary measures.
Updated title of supporting document to manufacturing sector: operational checklist.
Face coverings page updated.
Textual amend to Precautionary measures
Minor changes throughout to update tense to reflect current situation.
Travel and transport information updated.
Changes to Test and Protect and self-isolation in line with self-isolation policy changes.
Overview updated to reflect current situation.
Removed General guidance for safer workplaces – checklist - 3 June 2021 from supporting documents
Added link to guidance on individual occupational risk assessment on Risk assessments page.
Advanced manufacturing checklist added.
Related information page updated with links to sector guidance.
Changes to Test and Protect and self isolation
Updated to reflect changes as Scotland moves beyond level 0 of the levels system.
All pages updated to reflect latest position - particularly change in physical distancing requirements from 2 metres to 1 metre.
Distribution and site visitors page updated.
Training and compliance page updated
COVID-19 risk assessment page updated.
Dealing with emergencies section in operational guide page updated.
Updated to reflect latest situation.
Information re inbound and outbound goods on deliveries page and overview pages updated.
Information re inbound and outbound goods updated on deliveries section.
Updated to include information on workplace testing in workforce planning page.
Updated to reflect latest situation.
Updated the work in other peoples' homes chapter.
Workforce planning and support page updated.
Updated to reflect latest situation.
Door-to-door services section updated to reflect the latest guidance.
Overview and where we are now page updated to reflect latest position and remove redundant information.
Added new section on work cohorts "work bubbles"
Update to face coverings section in operational guide.
Updated information on vaccination and door-to-door services
Added information on vaccination to workforce planning and support section.
Overview and where we are now sections updated to reflect latest position.
Shielding information updated.
Coming to work and leaving work and Inbound and outbound goods information updated.
Physical distancing information updated.
Overview page updated to reflect latest position.
Updates to individual risk assessments for the workplace and working in people's homes FAQ.
Update to work in other people's homes FAQ page.
Overview page updated to reflect latest position.
Update to Work in Other Peoples’ Homes FAQ
Amendments made to Overview, Where we are now, Training and Compliance and Operational guide pages to reflect latest position.
Amendments made to FAQ on working in other peoples' homes to reflect latest position.
Minor updates made to various sections to take account of latest situation.
Updated work in other peoples' homes FAQ to include updated advice on door to door services
New section added on door-to-door services.
Festive guidance - easy read version added.
Update to workforce planning and support page to reflect change in self-isolation period.
Workforce planning and support page updated to reflect change in self-isolation period from 14 days to 10 days.
Festive workplace guidance added - see attachment.
Update to Work in Other Peoples’ Homes FAQ.
Update to Work in Other Peoples’ Homes FAQ
Updated to reflect new protection levels
Minor changes made to where we are now, workforce planning and support and operational guide pages to reflect latest developments including changes to face mask recommendations.
Update to workforce planning and support and operational guide and checklist sections
Update to temperature checks information in operational guide section.
Updates to workforce planning and operational guide to add information about temperature checking and the contact tracing app
