STORY: Craft Bakers Association launches COVID-19 management guide
Craft Bakers Association (CBA) Launches COVID-19 Management Guide
The Craft Bakers Association (CBA) has launched a COVID-19 management guide, to help support its members through the pandemic. The CBA represents approximately 500 bakery businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It supports a total of 3,000 shops on the high street (alongside wholesale companies and specialised confectionery businesses).
With the rules around visiting shops, including bakeries and cafes expected to be relaxed in the coming weeks, it will only become more important for bakers to reassure their employees, customers and suppliers, that they are operating to the highest possible health and safety standards. By following the advice laid out in the management guide, bakers can be certain that they are taking all the relevant on-site measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus and continue to serve customers safely.
Developed in collaboration with Safer Assured (environmental health experts), the guide contains everything bakers need to navigate COVID-19 from a health and safety perspective.
The guide will provide bakers with information on best practice standards, safe methods and operating procedures, risk assessment templates, customisable monitoring records and signage and bakers will also be able to access personalised advice over the phone from health and safety mentors.
The CBA is offering its members access to the management guide for free, via the MY CBA section of the website, but it can also be purchased by non-members for £49 per site (with reductions available for multiple sites).
Bakers following the standards laid out in the management guide will be eligible to apply to receive the new COVID-SAFE UK quality mark. After a successful examination via video link to verify that the required controls are in place, bakers will be awarded the mark, which can be used for a year and displayed in shop windows. Application for the mark is not included in the free management guide but CBA members can access this for a reduced rate.
Karen Dear, Director of Operations at the Craft Bakers Association said; “Whilst many bakeries have stayed open over recent weeks, as we move to the next phase the COVID-19 management guide will provide bakers with everything they need to navigate the pandemic from a health and safety perspective and we hope it provides some much needed guidance and reassurance.
"Although the past couple of months have been fraught with challenges for bakers, we hope this guide helps bakers through any health and safety issues, leaving them free to focus on making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead.”
