UK gears up to make workplaces safer as lockdown unwind begins

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says business ministry will set out details of how employers could make workplaces safer

LONDON: The British government will on Tuesday set out details on how to make workplaces safer as some businesses start to return to work after Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out a cautious plan to exit the coronavirus lockdown.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the business ministry would set out details of how employers could make workplaces safer.

“This stuff isn’t straight forward but we’ll be coming forward with a huge amount of more detail on how to make work places safe today,” Hancock said.

“We work not only with employers but also with the trade unions who last night called what we’re coming out with a step forward.”

Hancock said the novel coronavirus reproduction number - R0 or “R nought” - was in the middle of the 0.5 to 0.9 range.