Coronavirus update 17th March 2020

Protect yourself and others. March 17th 2020. 

This page is continually being reviewed and likely to change in response to the changing nature of the risk and latest Government advice. The guidance below is correct as of the date above. Please check this page regularly.

 We have been monitoring the Coronavirus situation closely, amending our working practices and responding as required.

 Following the advice from the Government we have invoked our Business Continuity Procedures. 

 Our office will observe enhanced public health measures. We are advising our staff not to attend client meetings in person unless absolutely necessary. All efforts should be made for the meeting to take place using video conferencing. All staff have been offered the ability to work form home. 

Here are a few of of our new procedures: 

Meeting our clients and visiting property. Before meeting with anyone we will enquire to the individual's Coronavirus status. If they are a Coronavirus risk we will not meet with them in person. We may not visit properties unless for essential repairs 

Continuity of service whilst we are working from home. All our staff have access to mobile devices and the internet. Our switchboard will be diverted. 

Suspected / cases of Coronavirus in a building or individual property we manage:  

1. a) The management team should be notified and kept updated
2. b) we will ensure all other occupiers and occupier representatives known to us are notified
3. c) we will ensure the building owner / Landlord is notified
4. d) public health measures should be emphasised to all visitors and users of the building:
5. Keeping clean hands
6. Catch It. Bin It. Kill It

   iii. Using anti-bac wipes at workstations

1. Using anti-bac handgel
2. e) Keep in regular contact with the individual to ascertain their medical diagnosis
3. f) the building may need to be deep cleaned, this may require us to close the building temporarily, gain building owner permission to organise necessary cleaning, keep in regular contact with occupiers and occupier representatives and ifthe building has been temporarily closed, once cleaning work has taken place and is complete the building will re-open and operate as before.

Repairs to properties where a suspected or confirmed case of Coronavirus has been identified in the last 72 hours and deep cleaning has not taken place. 

1. a) Only essential repairs will be undertaken 
2. b) The contractor attending the property must be informed of the case and asked to provide a suitable and sufficient risk assessment outlining their hazard control measures 

Hazard control measures that contractors might document in their risk assessments could include: 

1. Be less than 40 years old, fit with no underlying medical conditions and have no vulnerable persons in their household who could be at risk if infected 
2. PPE such as a facemask, goggles and disposable gloves will be worn

   iii. The attending person will keep at least 2 m away from others at all times

1. Offers of drinks or food while on the property will be declined
2. The relevant enhanced public health measures as per C5 will be observed

 Suspected or Confirmed case of Coronavirus in a contractor

1. a) The individual should follow medical advice
2. b) Merrifields Property Manager must be informed 
3. c) The Contractor must not attend Merrifields managed properties or offices