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MCFT Coronavirus COVID-19 Statement
Christopher Craggs
MCFT Coronavirus COVID-19 Statement March 2020Protecting Our Colleagues and Others
MCFT Providing and Supporting Essential Services
25th March 2020
We believe there are two tests which mean that the provision of our service requires our people to continue to work, in some instances as normal:
1. Essential Services: The government guidelines list the following to be kept operational during this time of crisis: a. Healthcare, education & childcare, key public services, local and national government, food and necessary goods, public and national security, transport, utilities, communications and financial services.
The following are excluded:
Pubs, cafés, restaurants, hotels and leisure facilities whether stadium or gym – unless engaged in home deliveries.
2. Safety Critical Equipment: Whether gas or electric, potentially giving rise to immediate hazards or refrigeration with latent potential for food safety risks.
Measures we have taken to operate safely:
• Self-isolation: Has been in effect since the beginning of the crisis and will continue as needed
• Office personnel: Only a carefully selected skeleton team
• Service Desk: Phones are capable of being diverted to remote operators when required
• Operations Management: Constant involvement and direction
• Support: Essential Finance and HR representation
The remainder, including 100% of the Sales and IT functions are operating from home
Our field personnel have been regularly surveyed to ensure they are able to work to support our customers.
Resource has been mobilised accordingly.
All colleagues working from home are in daily contact and fully supported.
Operational Procedure
• New and existing works are assessed as to whether they fall (by virtue of customer or task) into essential services, appropriate response is determined, and customers are advised accordingly
• Technicians, before setting out, fill in a Self-Certification form to document where they are going and on what basis. This can be presented if stopped by enforcement officials
• Parts and equipment are routed, collected as appropriate
• Guidelines with regards to hygiene and social distancing are followed at all times
Please contact the undersigned for any further information.
Mark Brooker, Managing Director
The Temporary Shutting Down Of Your Dishwasher
24th March 2020
We understand that during these testing times, it may be difficult to know how best to look after your Catering and Refrigeration equipment if you will be closing down your kitchen operation on a temporary basis. At MCFT, we are here to support you and offer advice as best we can.
Leading kitchen equipment manufacturer, Hobart Independent, have issued the below advice with regards to your dishwasher and other warewashing equipment, that will preserve the integrity of this equipment if they are required to be shut down for a prolonged period (21 days or over).
- Ensure the machine is run on a weekly basis
- Vent any process chemicals connected to the product and, if possible, flush any chemical lines with clean water to prevent the deterioration of the supply tubes.
- Ensure the wash chambers are kept clean and free from any food debris.
- Ensure the machines are completely drained.
- Remove and clean all internal filters and spray arms.
- Salt containers must be topped up and salt debris must be flushed away to prevent cabinet corrosion.
- Ensure your product is clean internally.
- Leave doors ajar and allow adequate ventilation within the product.
- Isolate the machine from the electrical supply and water supply.
We hope that this advice is valuable to you and we will be in contact regarding further equipment maintenance in due course.
Kind Regards,
Mark Brooker, Managing Director
COVID-19 Update 10th March 2020
We are monitoring developments in the UK and internationally.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51768274
We have held a number of detailed business continuity meetings and have scheduled twice-daily reviews to keep abreast of the situation. Actions include:
Communicating and updating directly with:
Our People
Our Customers
Our Supply Partners
We have briefed our People on sensible precautions – handwashing, coughs and sneezes and avoiding, where possible, large social gatherings and travel. For our field team, that remains a challenge – attending other people’s sites is what we do, and we have in turn requested that due care and precautions are taken.
Internally, we have postponed social events as well as a planned Field Service Community event being held at Henley Management College.
Whilst it’s impossible to predict the extent or duration of the pandemic – or the more lasting economic effect, we aim to be here when the cloud has lifted.
COVID-19 Update 9th March 2020
Protecting Our Colleagues and Others We are fully committed to following advice from NHS and Public Health England on how best to ensure our colleagues and customers wellbeing is not put at risk due to poor practices.
We have issued statements and advice guidelines to our colleagues and are in the process of contacting our customers regarding best practice advice and to ensure all risk is minimised while attending customer sites.
Advice which we are following from Public Health England -
“A simple and effective way to protect yourself from coronavirus is by making sure you wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or a hand sanitiser if you are out and about. It’s particularly important to wash your hands once you get home or arrive at work or before you prepare or eat food.
Good hygiene is the best prevention and there are some simple steps you can take to protect you and your family by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you cough, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue.
If you have recently been to one of the affected countries and are feeling unwell, you should phone the NHS 111 helpline for further advice straight away – please don’t go to your doctor. There’s lots of advice on how people can protect themselves online on the NHS website”
We are assessing the situation periodically and will update our colleagues and customers if our position changes.
Chris Craggs - CEO
Mark Brooker - Managing Director
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