Maldon District Council is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to carry out inspections of businesses across the area in a bid to ensure they are putting in place sufficient Covid safety measures.

So far, inspectors are finding some common issues across a range of sectors including:

-failing to provide arrangements for monitoring

-failing to introduce an adequate cleaning regime particularly at busy times of the day.

A council spokesperson said: "During the checks, we provide advice and guidance to manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors, but where some businesses are not managing this we will take immediate action.

"This can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe and, where businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.

"It is a legal duty for businesses to protect their workers and others from harm and this includes taking reasonable steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus. This means making business adjustments to become Covid-secure.

"We advise employers to work with their employees when implementing changes, to help increase confidence with workers, customers and the local community."

All businesses of any size can receive a 'spot check' unannounced visit.

MDC said it is also working alongside local public health authorities to look at the pattern of any coronavirus outbreaks in the district in order to help manage them and bring case numbers and infection rates down further.

For further information on how to manage the of Covid-19 risk in different business sectors you can visit the relevant Government website page using the link here.

For the latest information and safer business guidance you can find the Government website using the link here.