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Environmental hazards should be considered by staff before the start of each operating list. Pregnant personnel may be particularly at risk in these environments and should follow local occupational health policies.^45,44,45

Policies and equipment must be in place to protect patients and staff from cross infection, including the safe disposal of sharps and healthcare waste.⁴⁴

Departments should have mechanisms in place to clearly communicate personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements to staff, particularly where these vary between specialties and areas of the hospital. Any staff concerns should be escalated to clinical managers.⁴⁶

There should be a process in place to secure alternative PPE options for those who are unable to pass a face fit test with the standard options. This should include accommodating cultural and religious concerns.⁴⁷

Where individuals within the department have specific health concerns, reasonable adjustments must be made to an individual’s work duties as required in the Equality Act 2010.⁴ The department should have procedures in place to ensure that these concerns are discussed with the individual concerned, with support from the consultant occupational physician where appropriate, and should consider tailoring work duties...

When required departments should ensure that adequate social distancing is possible for non-clinical working. This may include enabling staff to work from home if necessary.

Departments should openly discuss fatigue and consultants should act as role models by acknowledging their own tiredness and promoting the need for rest and taking rest themselves.⁴⁸

Education should be provided for all members of the department about fatigue, including sleep hygiene and the legal implications of driving while tired.⁴⁸

Standardised scoring systems such as fatigue tools identifying team members’ level of fatigue should be used at handover and there should be no criticism of the need to rest.⁴⁹

Facilities should be provided for regular rest breaks and refreshments as well as quiet facilities for sleep during and after shifts for anaesthetists working overnight.^34,43,50,51