Guidance

Depots returning to work safely during COVID-19

Published 22 June 2020

Updated as of June 2020

As the UK government, sets out its plans on how it intends to take the country out of full lockdown, the Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA) has set out a selection of questions residents may have about contractors returning to work at our depots. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email us at info@oilandpipelines.com.

Adaptations on site in light of Covid-19 and measures are in place

The safety of our colleagues is our top priority, so throughout this period we have been following Government guidance extremely closely. As our sites provides fuel to the Navy, our staff have continued to work on the ground as an essential service. However, we have brought in robust policies to safeguard our team as well as the surrounding community. This has included:

• limiting the number of people on site at any one time
• taking all reasonable steps to maintain a 2 metre distance on site
• cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures in line with guidance
• where people cannot be 2 metre apart, we have done everything practical to manage transmission risk using back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than face-to-face) whenever possible.

Where possible we are also encouraging our team to travel to our sites using private vehicles or cycle to work where possible. Our procedures for working on site will continue to evolve as lockdown measures are eased, to ensure we maintain the safety of our team and community.

Sites returning to work

OPA is taking a phased approach to restarting operations on sites along the guidelines set out in the Route Map for Scotland by the First Minister of Scotland.

Phase 1:

Started on 15 June with our Operations’ teams returning to full manning. The level of challenge the works present against current social distancing measures and our COVID-19 risk assessments will be given the utmost consideration. Works that involve working in large open areas without the need for 2 or more persons lend themselves more readily to our social distancing policy along with contractors who are resident in the local community or can commute on a daily basis.

Phase 2:

Will broadly follow the guidelines of phase 1. However, external contractors will be reinstated where a contract has previously been awarded outside the local area or the level of capability /capacity is not attainable within the local area or commutable distance.

Phase 3:

Relates to works we believe present significant challenges against both our established working practices and the current and foreseeable social distancing guidelines. Our risk assessments are currently being reviewed to enable these works to continue upon successful completion of phase 2.

Do all sites have the same safeguarding measures?

Yes. All our sites have adopted the same safeguarding measures. Our first line of defence for preventing COVID-19 getting onto our sites is access through our security gates. We will therefore:

• limit passengers in work vehicles or private vehicles travelling to site
• provide additional parking or facilities such as bike racks to help people drive or cycle to work where possible
• implement the use of touchless security access devices
• provide handwashing facilities or hand sanitiser at entry and exit points.

Site workers and PPE

Staff are not required to wear additional PPE unless there is a task that has to be done where they cannot maintain social distancing.

Will site workers be travelling on local public transport?

Workers are expected to travel to work in separate cars or cycle to work. We have instructed staff not to use public transport to get to and from work. We are reviewing our traffic management plans to facilitate any additional on-site parking that might be required.

What will happen on site if restrictions tighten again?

Our risk assessments for site working are reviewed regularly and follow government guidelines. Any changes announced by government will be acted on accordingly.