The purpose of this policy is to identify the risks and then state the measures which need to be taken to minimise those risks to protect everyone involved with the charity.
Risks
The risks identified are those of spreading the active virus or bacterium by inhaling airborne particles from an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces. The precautions needed will be determined at government level and will normally incur periods of quarantine, the length of which may vary from disease to disease. In this document the phrase “appropriate period” refers to the advice given in the medical guidelines issued at the time of the pandemic.
Safety of staff
Under normal conditions all staff work from home, communicating with each other, and with users of the charity, through email, telephone, and post. Therefore, the charity does not need to make any significant structural changes to continue operating under pandemic conditions.
In situations where face to face meetings would normally occur, as in handing over physical items like cheques, stationery provisions, or post, the items should be placed by one party in an agreed location from where they can be collected by the other party observing the sanitary precautions prevalent at the time.
Safety of Trustees
Normally the Trustees meet in one room for a regular meeting every two months. When the need arises, these meetings should be replaced by email and telephone contact and by using the on-line Zoom or similar facility.
Incoming deliveries
Bibles: Normally Bibles are printed abroad and transported by land or sea in sealed containers to this country. As this takes many weeks, the stock has been through an extensive period of quarantine before reaching warehouse facilities in Horley, Surrey. They are stored there for many weeks before being distributed to schools. This further period of quarantine ensures maximum safety before they are distributed to schools. Where deliveries are made by land, the boxes should be placed in quarantine for the appropriate period before opening and issuing the Bibles to schools.
Stationery: Boxes of stationery, parcels and packets should undergo the appropriate period of quarantine before being opened and the contents used.
Mail: Post and packages are normally received by all staff via Royal Mail or commercial carriers. The hygiene precautions prevailing at the time should be rigorously applied, and used envelopes and wrappings safely discarded. Touching one’s face should be avoided whilst incoming mail is being opened, and hands should be washed thoroughly after handling incoming items.
Where outgoing mail is taken to the Post Office, or posted in a public post-box, social distancing rules should be followed.
Money: Any cash received should normally be placed in quarantine for the appropriate period before being handled, and the appropriate hand and face sanitation rules observed.
Donations and invoice payments received by cheque are banked by post to avoid the need to visit a bank.
All invoices are paid via the digital BACS system, avoiding the need to issue cheques.