COVID-19 Advice for Businesses

If you would like to organise an event, make enquiries or request advice in relation to COVID 19 you can complete our COVID-19 business and events form.

You can use this form to seek advice from a range of different services, including Licensing, Planning and Building Standards, for example:

to create a new beer garden
to erect a temporary structure to create an outdoor space
to ensure public safety while queuing on the pavement
advice on social distancing or PPE

Risk assessment

You must complete a suitable and detailed risk assessment of COVID-19 for your business. This risk assessment should detail the business controls to protect both employees, the public and any visitors. A blank risk assessment template is included in section one. Customers and staff will need to be confident in your COVID-19 control measures.

Test and protect

It's very important for pubs, cafes, restaurants and other businesses where people come to stay, to obtain contact details from one member of the group sitting in or staying at that premises. This includes beer gardens and other outdoor seating. Guidance for collecting customer contact details is available on the Government website.

Check In Scotland is a way to collect the contact details of people who visit hospitality businesses, such as pub, bars, restaurants and cafes, that's designed to work with NHS Scotland's Test and Protect. Find out more on mygov.scot.

Further information regarding test and protect:

Face coverings

Guidance regarding use of face coverings is available on the Government website. Justification for staff not wearing face coverings must be included in the businesses risk assessment. Staff would not be expected to wear face coverings in areas such as:

stock rooms
where staff are not facing customers
where physical distancing can be acheived
if staff work outwith store opening hours

Beyond Level 0 requirements in hospitality settings

customers to wear face coverings when entering and moving around the premises e.g. when they go to the toilet
staff to wear face coverings if they are unable to adhere to 1m physical distancing
bar staff to wear a face covering if customers are drinking or eating at the bar unless there is a protective screen at the bar
staff to wear face coverings if offering a table service policy
businesses to continue to collect Test and Protect contact details from all customers and retain for 21 days
businesses to increase ventilation by letting fresh air into the premises by opening windows and doors, the HSE has provided further ventilation guidance

Please see the Scottish Government website for further information.

Revised risk assessment

Businesses must, in line with the general sector guidance, adopt a risk based approach and revise existing risk assessments to incorporate additional mitigating measures.

Ventilation and air conditioning

HSE has information on:

Section one

Section two

Section three

Section four

Section five

Section six

Guidelines for hospitality businesses

Section seven

Visit Food Standards Scotland website for COVID-19 guidance for Food Business Operators and their employees

Section eight

Section nine

Equestrian best practice guidance

Section ten

Guidance for taxi and private hire licence holders

Contact us

You can contact our Food, Health and Safety team for more information and advice.