Manufacturers' organisation Make UK has rolled out a training and support package to help Kent firms get staff back to work safely as lockdown measures are eased.

The package includes employment law, HR and health and safety checklists, a support pack to help get staff back from furlough plus a guide to operations and production processes and procedures.

It also gives step-by-step guidance on preparing the workplace to enable an increasing number of workers to be back on-site safely. Make UK champions manufacturing and engineering operations.

Jim Davison, Make UK’s region director for the South, said: “These new online resources offer a one-stop-shop for clear direction for companies of all sizes enabling managers to take fast and effective action and make the best choices to future-proof businesses as we all move forward.

“Making those strategic decisions correctly and in a timely fashion is essential for the continued success of companies as they come out of this crisis and look to get back to normal production.

“Firms big and small need to get these decisions right and our legal team will work with every firm directly. We work closely with the government to make sure the legislation works as well as it can for every business, and we are focused on interpreting that legislation, explaining clearly and simply what each has to do in order to comply.”

The support programme also includes a pre-recorded webinar from Make UK experts giving advice and tips to help you get back up and running as quickly as possible

For those companies which are having to take the difficult decision of looking to lose some of their staff, there is also a redundancy webinar in the context of Covid-19.

A spokesman for Make UK added: "This e-learning programme has been developed in line with the very latest government guidance to help manufacturers manage their workforce safely and efficiently by understanding the threats of the virus and how it works, how it is spread, destroyed and the major risk factors.

"The second part of the course provides clear guidance on how to manage social distancing in a factory or workplace setting with a final section on cleaning and personal hygiene and how to make that work in a professional setting."

The Back to Business Support Pack is free for Make UK members, £75 plus VAT for non-members.

The Covid E-Learning and Support Pack is £50 plus VAT for members and £100 plus VAT for non-members. Details on both can be found here.

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