Business Pilot, the cloud-based business management system, has launched a new COVID-19 digital risk assessment tool, which simplifies compliance with Government guidelines for working in other people’s homes.
Reported to be ‘quick and easy’ to use, the Business Pilot COVID-19 risk assessment tool supports installers in scheduling works safely and automatically provides an audit trail against each job to evidence compliance.
This includes pre-planning and on-site checks carried out by surveying or fitting teams on arrival at site.
Elton Boocock, managing director, Business Pilot, said: “The Government published guidance for safe working in other people’s homes on 11 May, but it is just that – guidance. There is very little that is explicit other than not working in the homes of those who are ‘shielding’ or anyone who is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
“The guidance as it stands right now is much more about best practice, putting in measures to social distance, communicating with the customer to minimise risk, equipping teams with hand sanitising or washing kits, social distancing where you can and avoiding sharing tools,” he continued.
“The term that’s used by government time and time again in the guidance is, ‘as far as is practicable’. It’s leaving how this is achieved to the individual company, but wants to see – and it is absolutely explicit in this – that installers are thinking about risk ahead of time and doing what they can ‘as far as is practicable’ to mitigate risk.
“They also want to see evidence of that in the form of a risk assessment – and that’s where the new risk assessment tool comes in.”
The new Business Pilot risk assessment draws down on current government guidance to create a series of simple tick box checks that can be completed by surveyors and installers through the Business Pilot app on their phone, tablet or laptop.
This is pulled through the system automatically and assigned to the specific job, alongside all other records, providing a clear audit trail and providing the evidence that the Government is looking for, to prove that risks have been considered and where they can be, managed.
Elton continued: “The risk assessment tool isn’t prescriptive. It doesn’t tell you that you should wash your hands as an installer on arrival at site, or clean down surfaces more frequently in the home of someone who is say 70 plus and therefore falls into the ‘vulnerable category’.
“Government is leaving those decisions to individual companies and the guidelines being issued by individual industry trade associations. These will also no doubt also evolve over time.
“It’s instead about evidencing your processes, the communications you are putting in place with your team and your customers and being able to show it, through a very short and simple compliance process – we’re talking minutes.”
Its new risk assessment tool was created by Business Pilot after a webinar, held two days after the Government issued guidance for working in people’s homes at the beginning of May, revealed concern about managing installations safely as a key obstacle to getting back to work.
Attended by more than 150 installers (click here to view) the forum found that installers who have gone back to work were seeing high levels of homeowner demand but remained unclear about how to evidence compliance.
“The coming months are no doubt going to present more challenges for installers but the Business Pilot Risk Assessment Tool at the very least takes something off their plate, providing a quick and easy route to demonstrate compliance with government guidance for working in people’s homes during COVID-19.
“The insight and the tools that Business Pilot delivers to support you in running your business more effectively – from anywhere – can take away a whole lot more, allowing you to maximise your profitability, providing a foundation your business’ continuity whatever lies ahead,” Elton concluded.
