During 2020 Miscanthus harvest and planting, the safety of our team, our growers hauliers and contractors is top priority. We have produced this policy, which outlines guidelines to stop the spread of COVID-19 during this crucial time…
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are continuous cough or a high temperature.
The Government and public health advice is for anyone with these symptoms (such as a high temperature of 37.8 degrees or above and/or a new/continuous cough), to self-isolate at home for seven days from when the symptoms started. People in this situation do not have to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If you live with others and you are the first in the household to have symptoms of coronavirus, then you must stay at home for the 7 days, but all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14-days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.
If you have coronavirus symptoms:
- Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital
- You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home
- Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home
- If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999
Preventing the spread of COVID-19
External suppliers/contractors/hauliers/growers:
- The supply of electricity is an essential business activity, so we ask that growers and contractors continue with the Miscanthus harvest and planting in the normal way, avoiding personal contact as much as possible in line with the government guidelines
- Hauliers have been sent a ‘critical worker authorisation’ letter, to be issued to all drivers delivering to Eco2 sites. Drivers must be able to produce a copy of this letter upon request
- All tickets (grower collection tickets and weight tickets) should be scanned to operations@terravesta.com, on the day of delivery, and not handed directly between people. Growers can either take a photo of their bale collection ticket or ask us to send them a copy once we have received them from the hauliers. This procedure may be updated, please be patient whilst new procedures are set and agreed to
- Where possible, disposable gloves should be used/changed frequently between different tasks
- Drivers are to stay in their cabs at all times, unless asked to leave for health & safety reasons applied by processors/growers
- Planting machinery and deliveries:
- Only the driver should handle the securing straps
- Growers must provide a telescopic handler for lifting the machinery, and a certified operator for the unloading and loading of the planter on to the delivery trailer
- Growers may consider using family members where possible instead of hiring in agency staff. Where agency staff are required, only two people will be permitted per planter in order to adhere to the 2m apart rule set by the government
- As previously stated, hand hygiene must be adhered to, i.e. washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water or hand sanitizers, regularly
- Using disposable tissues to catch coughs and sneezes and disposing of them in a bin as soon as possible
- Most importantly – KEEP YOUR DISTANCE – if you do need to speak to someone in person, please stay at least 2m/6ft apart at all times
Everyone, please stay safe and adhere to the continuing change in information provided by the Government and NHS services.
This document can be downloaded as a PDF