The Covid Safety Pledge

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A coalition of unions including the PCS civil service union, safety groups and the Independent SAGE group of scientists launched a Covid-19 Safety Pledge, designed to ensure workplaces adopt measures to minimise the spread of Covid-19 infections.

This asks employers to sign up to three key commitments:

• protect workers and customers from Covid-19,

• risk assess their premises and practices to safeguard against infection; and

• specifically ask any workers who test positive for Covid to stay at home while infectious and to provide the support necessary for them to do so.

Employers who sign up for the scheme have their names displayed on the Covidpledge.co.uk website as a “Covid safe” workplace and can display the Pledge sign within their premises.

The Scottish TUC backed the move and warned that employers in Scotland should not roll back on health and safety and support for staff. It also called on the Scottish Government to support the pledge.