The last month, since the Government laid out its plan for coming out of lockdown in England on May 11th, has been one of the busiest in KSH Safety Services' history.
It has been so busy that, until I sat down last night to work it out, I had no idea what I have actually achieved.
With a combination of online and onsite support, presenting to businesses at online network meetings, helping with the planning to be COVID-19 Secure, and drafting risk assessments and policies, I conservatively estimate that I have helped either directly or indirectly over 350 businesses, ranging from retail and manufacturing, to the service sector, trades, and construction.
I have helped market managers across England with their planning and with risk assessments so that they can allow their traders to operate from this month.
I have helped several clients working towards or with CHAS accreditation to ensure that they meet the standard for COVID-19 that they now require.
I have helped manufacturers with their risk assessments and movement planning.
I have spoken at several networking events, all well attended, with a presentation on how to get back to work safely, including questions and answers.
I have helped existing clients and new clients in interpreting government guidelines to ensure they are COVID-19 Secure.
When you are busy, and helping others, you just get on with it. Last night for the first time in weeks I could step back and see what I have done. And I am proud of what I have done.
It may only be a small part in helping many businesses to reopen, but, for example, by helping market managers with their planning and risk assessments, it has allowed all the individual businesses within those markets to restart trading, within current restrictions.
By speaking to business owners and managers during networking events, they have then taken the advice given and used it to plan their businesses around the COVID-19 guidelines.
This year has been like no other in our memory. A small virus made the world shut down. It is businesses like KSH Safety Services that can make a small difference in getting our economy back up and running again in safe way.
Earlier this week I had the opportunity, due to a client site visit, to walk along a high street in a north west tourist town. The street, full of small local shops, was reopening after the lockdown. Everyone was eager to get going, and all had set out social distancing rules and cleaning regimes for customers and staff alike.
Good luck to them, and all businesses restarting their activities around this time, including those still waiting for clearance to restart.
We have all seen the queues outside large (inter)national chainstores as they reopen. But it is all the small businesses that also need your help. Now they are beginning to operate again, they have put in measures to protect both you and their staff.
They need you to visit them or to buy from them, or to support them in any way you can. There is one big advantage - they have much smaller queues! Support you local community businesses. They have been missed, but they will be permanently missed if we do not use them now. So shop local. Do it safely, and help your local community survive.
Finally, an important point. As companies continue to return to operation, demand for KSH Safety Services has gone very high. It’s a good time to be a H&S practitioner but it is also important that quality comes before quantity, and while the numbers of those I help is high, I will never ever let the quality of my work suffer.
So stay safe, stay alert, wear those face coverings, keep those hands clean, and keep two metres apart as you help our local economies get back on their feet.
The Government have launched an online tool kit to help businesses with a basic risk assessment. This can be accessed here.