As the UK is experiencing increased risk from COVID-19 (coronavirus), I wanted to outline the steps we at Bishopsgate are taking to ensure the continued operation of our services.
Whilst the Bishopsgate team will do everything in their power to maintain excellent customer service and achieve every delivery as required, our number one priority is the health and safety of all Bishopsgate employees and those who they may come into contact with.
Bishopsgate focus is on encouraging and enabling all staff to follow NHS advice on preventing the spread of infection. Advice is displayed throughout Bishopsgate depots and offices, promoting the importance of thorough hand washing. Bishopsgate understand that road crews do not always have access to soap and clean running water and so a supply of hand sanitiser has been made available on all vehicles. Bishopsgate Road Crew have also been instructed to clean hand held PDA’s with regular “wipe-downs” using anti-bacterial wipes, which have also been supplied.
Within the office areas additional cleaning procedures have been adopted including a focus on regular cleaning of hand rails and handles. Additionally Bishopsgate have instituted an “open door” policy within the office areas to minimise the need to touch handles and door plates.
Bishopsgate have initiated a policy of travel “only when essential”. For Bishopsgate this specifically relates to careful consideration of the need to travel outside UK, between UK depots and across UK to meet with customers.
Bishopsgate have moved to stage 1 “working from home”. This is specific and planned both to reduce numbers at Swindon HQ where the Customer Services Team are based and also to create a contingency Customer Service Reserve Team should there be an outbreak of self-isolations amongst the existing team. Stage 2 home working is being planned for whereby the main Customer Service Team could be split in half to further reduce risk of infection whilst still fulfilling all our customer needs and awaits developments or guidelines from Government.
Bishopsgate are based at five strategic locations across the UK and so should specific areas of the country be “locked down” affecting a particular depot Bishopsgate are preparing reactive strategies effectively fulfilling customer requirements from alternative depots.
I take this opportunity to thank Mitsafe Trans in Italy, Bishopsgates’ Teneso partner, who like us continue to fulfil all customer orders during the outbreak in their country, and who have helped with very useful advice and actual examples of what might be around the corner for Bishopsgate here in UK.
We are closely monitoring the situation to make sure we are taking all the precautions to protect our employees and those who they may come into contact with, awaiting changing advice from the government as challenges develop over the coming days. In the unlikely event any such measures are put in place which may impact our ability to provide services to you, we will update you as early as possible.
Lastly we are only a call away if you need us and pass on best wishes for good health to everyone!
Debbie Goy
Bishopsgate SHEQ Manager
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