UK companies are being advised on how to make the workplace Covid-secure as the Government prepares to lift lockdown measures.
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published new guidelines to help businesses manage a safe return to work as their facilities reopen.
Among several suggested provisions to prevent the transmission of coronavirus, firms are being advised to stagger the shifts and plan one-way systems in corridors and stairways.
It comes as the Government rolls out the NHS track and trace system in a bid to cut transmissions of Covid-19 and enable the lifting of the national lockdown.
BSI said on Thursday that the guidelines are intended to become a consensus of good practice.
But it added that companies and members of the public were also encouraged to have their say on safe working to help protect public health.
The guidelines include examples such as planning one-way systems in common areas, staggering arrival and departure times to reduce crowding, and checking on the effectiveness of safety measures and controls.
Scott Steedman, director of standards at BSI, said: "Since the UK Government announced gradual easing of the lockdown, business leaders across the country have been taking steps to ensure that their working environment is safe.
"Now it is imperative that they come together to achieve their shared goal.
"Our role as the National Standards Body is to bring people together so they can share their expertise and knowledge and agree what good practice looks like.
"Together we can help to make the working environment safe for all."
