We've been contacted by the lady who used to come into our house to clean once a week to ask if she can return to work.

This seems in accordance with the government advice that people who can't work from home should contact their employer to arrange a return to work.

We're thinking we can co-ordinate a time where I am at work and my wife can take her exercise and so we would not be present when the cleaner attends, we're also thinking we can ask her to wear gloves (she usually does anyway). So we're thinking this is a compliant way of returning to work regarding our house as the cleaners workplace.

On the other hand it is a person from another household coming into our house which still seems discouraged.

Any views on this?

Thanks

Originally Posted by: Kim Hedges

Personally I don't trust or believe the PM, personally I'd say no sooner than June (another 3 weeks).  Sorry, but the gloves and mask won't mean much if your cleaner is infected or is a carrier. 

But surely thats just the same as if anyone at my workplace is infected, or at the supermarket etc. etc. In fact surely safer since we'll not be in the same building together?

Originally Posted by: Kate

The government guidance in working in people's homes has now been published and is here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/homes

That's great but seems mainly aimed at businesses sending people to domestic households and is pretty strong on the risk assessment element. 

Our cleaner is self employed and just operates on her own. Since she doesn't employ anyone and certainly not more than 5 people then she doesn't need to produce a written assessment? - unless there is something different about Covid-19? - and we as householders do not have to produce a written assessment for this type of arrangement unless I've missed something? We can easily accomodate the social distancing rules and have mentally assessed the risks and I'm kind of wanting to support her in getting back to work and getting an income again.

My wife however is less sure - not because she is worried about the virus but because she still thinks we may be breaking a rule of some sort. Reading this guidance I suspect will just leave her with the impression we need to start writing risk assessments.....

HSE have also published new guidance which does point out that written risk assessments aren't always required.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/assets/docs/working-safely-guide.pdf

If you are following the practical elements of the guidance for working in homes (which I admit I haven't read as I have had more than enough to read this morning!), in so far as they are relevant to what happens when the cleaner works in your home,  then that would surely be sufficient.