Covid-19 work rules for Mobile Massage Therapists

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Covid-19 work rules for Mobile Massage Therapists

Covid-19 work rules for Mobile Massage Therapists

Updated 2 October 2020 – to include QR codes

Useful documents, courses and links:

Create a coronavirus NHS QR poster

Co-Vid 19 Client Declaration Form – download

Risk-assessment-template-2019

Close contact services – working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) – Guidance – GOV.UK (24 June 2020)

Other people’s homes – Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19 – Guidance – GOV.UK

ThinkTreeHub – risk assessment for returning to work in a covid-19 enviroment – FREE COURSE

Health and Safety Website – risk assessments

Face coverings – client requirement

All businesses returning work during this pandemic must make their businesses Covid secure. This means that all businesses must act according to Government guidance and the Coronavirus Act 2020. The GOV.UK website has every bit of guidance on there that you need to be able to open your business when you are given the go ahead and it will pay to make sure you are prepared and ready to start when you are allowed to and when , of course, you feel comfortable to.

The GOV.UK website is an extremely valuable resource and has all the information you need on there, but the relevant advice can be hard to find among the great many advice documents available. It is advisable to read all the guidance available pornskill, the links to all the documents are at the beginning and at the end of this article.

Main requirements:

Face coverings for therapists: As of 13 August 2020 mobile massage therapists must wear a face shield and a type II face mask. Goggles may be used as an alternative to a clear visor, when worn with a Type II face mask. Goggles provide eye protection to the wearer. To be worn in place of a clear visor, goggles must be close fitting with no obvious openings or vents that would otherwise allow droplets to enter the eyes. Reusable eye protection should be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Face masks for clients: As of 8 August 2020 clients must also wear a face covering unless exampt.
Gloves: Government advice is that therapists should wear gloves unless they consider it crucial to their treatment that they should not wear gloves. Some therapists will choose to wear gloves, some will consider that it is too detrimental to their treatment to wear gloves.
QR Codes:
On 29th September 2020 the rules changed for mobile massage therapists regarding QR codes. Mobile massage therapists must download a QR code. If purely mobile – your have to use your home address as the business address. The fact that this gives completely false information to the app does not seem to be of concern the NHS app. It is something that In Your Home Massage is taking up with the Government, but for now, you must have the code. For more information please read the NHS app FAQ’s.
Keep a record of your clients and their contact details.
A Covid-19 Risk Assessment if you have a business that employs 5 people or more.

Covid secure working practices for mobile massage therapists.

These are covered in the following document and should be included in your Covid-19 risk assessment.

Other people’s homes – Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19 – Guidance – GOV.UK

Topics highlighted are.

Communicating with households prior to arrival, and on arrival, to ensure the household understands the social distancing and hygiene measures that should be followed once work has commenced.

Keeping the work area clean

Frequent cleaning of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, using your usual cleaning products.
Arranging methods of safely disposing waste with the householder.
Removing all waste and belongings from the work area at the end of a shift and at the end of a job.
Maintaining good ventilation in the work environment, for example keeping windows or doors open.

Hygiene.

Washing your hands more often than usual for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose.
Reducing the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve, not your hands. Throw the tissue in a bin immediately, then wash your hands.3
Cleaning regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.
If hand washing facilities are not accessible, you should carry hand sanitiser.

Should my client wear a face mask in their own home?

The Government guidance states that clients must wear a face mask when receiving a massage treatment, it does not matter if they are in their own home or not.

Employing staff going into other people’s homes. If you employ staff going to other people’s homes, please read the document for full guidance.

YOU MUST DO A COVID SECURE RISK ASSESSMENT - here's how

To be COVID secure you need to to a COVID-19 risk assessment.

This is not difficult and there are a couple of resources out there that take the pain away for you.

Firstly, there is a great FREE course that only takes 15 minutes to complete and it gives you a risk assessment that you can tweak for your business at the end of it. You can find that course at the ThinkTreeHub

Secondly: if you want to use that as a guide and make your own risk assessment you can download a word doc to edit yourself here: Blank risk-assessment-template-2019

If you are a business employing less than 5 people you do not need to do a risk assessment for general working (however, it is a good idea to do so). You find out all the information you need on the Health and Safety website

FORMS and RECORD KEEPING

Many therapists ask what forms are they going to have to give to their clients to be able to return to work – the answer is simple – just one.

One in addition to your current paperwork that is.

A client COVID-19 declaration form has to be given to your clients before EVERY appointment. You can email this to them or print it out and take it with you.

Here is a example of one that you can use and edit for your own business. If you keep it as a word doc clients will be able to complete it if you email it to them. Or you can save it as a PDF and print it off to take with you.

Co-Vid 19 Client Declaration Form

RECORDS – according to the guidance mobile massage therapists will have to keep exact records of whom they seem and when. This rule is most likely being followed already by all mobile massage therapists and the client COVID-19 declaration form will allow for this also.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions please add them to the comments and I will answer them as soon as possible.