Site information for visitors to the MRC Harwell Institute, from November 2021

Please follow Government guidelines on social distancing, hand-washing and COVID-19 measures at all times while at MRC Harwell. Your host may ask you to complete a lateral flow test prior to your arrival.

We ask that a face covering is worn as soon as you enter the building and not removed unless you are working in an office alone. It is of course impossible to wear face coverings whilst you are having your lunch or a drink, so we are asking you to remain socially distanced in the canteen/break room, but if you are using the kitchen area, please keep your face covering on.

Do not enter if you are feeling unwell or are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms.

If you begin to feel unwell while working on site, please leave immediately and advise us by telephone once you have left site. If you do not feel well enough to leave, please contact your host or call Security on 01235 841261 or extension 1261, who will contact a First Aider to assist you.

ON ARRIVAL

The main reception door to Building 383 is for two-way movement (entry and exit), provided care is taken. Do not congregate in this area or stop to chat outside the library. If you are leaving and the way is clear, then exit via Reception. If there is a large group coming in, it may be better to use the exit via the canteen/archway.

Exits can be found via the archway beyond the Exchange (canteen) or via the old front door, opposite the toilets at the front of the building. These exits are clearly marked. Please note, any entry or exit may be used in the case of an emergency or fire alarm.

On arrival, visitors should wash their hands in the toilet cubicle in the Reception area, before entering the rest of the building. Please ensure this cubicle door is left open.You may then just use the hand sanitiser for subsequent entries if they are moving around the site or coming in from the MLC or Advance.

If wearing gloves, dispose of these on entering the building and place them in the clinical waste bin provided in the Reception area. Should you wish to change your disposable face covering to replace with a clean one, use the same bin. If you have a separate cloth face covering for travel, we ask you bring a plastic bag to store worn reusable cloth face coverings, so you can take them away when you leave site. Please then wash hands before proceeding from Reception.

WHILST ON SITE

Wear appropriate PPE as advised by the government and adhere to your individual company PPE protocol.

Please wash hands frequently with soap and water and use hand gel from dispensers located around the building.

Please keep 2 metres distance between others and walk on the left hand side of corridors, taking care around corners and using the wall mounted mirrors to check if clear. You may pass others in the corridors. All people in corridors should be wearing face-coverings (unless exempt).

On stairs, give way to the person already on the stairs. If you do need to pass on the stairs, one person should turn to face the wall so that the other person can pass on the landing area.

Please adhere to maximum people allowed in rooms at any one time. These will be displayed on doors. If you need to work somewhere that is occupied and cannot keep 2m distance, please contact your host who will make the necessary arrangements for you.

If you use the canteen area, please swipe your visitor/contractor pass (if you have one) at the track and trace reader as you enter. If you have a paper pass, your host will swipe their ID. This will maintain a record of who has been in the area and will be used if we have a confirmed COVID-19 case on site.

If you need First Aid, let staff know if you think it could be COVID-19 or is something else.

AFTER WORKING ON SITE

If you think you have contracted COVID-19 and have been working on site within the previous 72 hours, please contact your host to discuss any areas where you have worked and anyone you could have had close contact with. If you cannot get hold of your host or NHS Test and Trace want a contact at MRC Harwell, please use the following contact: N.Rodrigues@har.mrc.ac.uk

KEEPING RECORDS FOR NHS TRACK AND TRACE

We will retain a record of the days that you visited MRC Harwell, the purpose and a phone contact number, in order to support NHS Test and Trace if needed. This information will only be used where necessary to help stop the spread of COVID-19. We will delete this information 21 days after your visit. This reflects the incubation period for COVID-19 (which can be up to 14 days) and an additional 7 days to allow time for testing and tracing. Please inform your host if you do not want this information shared for this purpose. Thank you for your cooperation