Saracen House Studio
Coronavirus Covid-19 Secure Policy

We’re all learning as we go as to how to best work together to keep ourselves and each other safe during this pandemic. This policy document will be updated regularly as advice from Public Health England (PHE) and Health & Safety Executive (HSE) changes.

We ask that you play your part in helping to control the virus and our safe return to shooting in the studio by taking a moment to read and share this information, following the guidelines and practising good hand and respiratory hygiene at all times. You and your guests are encouraged to share any concerns or areas of improvement so that we can provide a better service wherever possible.

We also ask for empathy and understanding of different opinions on working conditions and respecting people’s personal working spaces accordingly.

The following information is intended as a reference guide for all visitors of Saracen House Studio as well as documenting our commitment to your safety and the practices we will undertake to help control the spread of the virus.

Key Principles of this Policy

Before your Shoot

• If you, or any of your guests, are showing any symptoms of Covid-19 you must not attend or enter the studio premises. A current list of main symptoms can be viewed on the NHS website:
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/
• If you or any of your guests have been asked to self-isolate or quarantine for any purpose, please do not attend the studio.
• The studio will be cleaned before your arrival, in line with our policy as detailed, using anti-viral products on all main surfaces & touchpoints, door handles, light switches, radio triggers.
• The party making the booking at Saracen House Studio is required to submit their name, email address and contact number to the studio as part of the normal booking process. It is the lead party’s responsibility to collect all contact details of any other member of the party should this be required by the NHS Test & Trace Service.
• Our staff will be performing regular personal tests for your reassurance. Free rapid tests are now available for all members of the public from some pharmacies and test sites plus online from the NHS https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests should you wish to perform a test before your shoot. Pre-shoot testing is not a condition of your booking.

Arrival at the Studio

• The wearing of face coverings is suggested where there are small groups of on the premises where a reasonable distance cannot be maintained, particularly when moving around the building.
• Upon entry to the premises, all customers and guests are required to use hand sanitiser situated at the entrance or wash their hands.
• We are operating with a longer gap between bookings to allow for effective cleaning, please help us by arriving as close to your start time as possible.

During your Shoot

• All guests should maintain a minimum distance of 2m from others. Where this is not possible for any length of time, visitors should consider wearing a face covering where appropriate for the protection of others.
• Please ensure the washing of hands is undertaken regularly during your booking by all parties, as well as before taking food or drink.
• Coughs and sneezes should be captured in the arm or elbow or into a tissue. Please responsibly dispose of tissues immediately and wash hands.
• The wearing of a face covering is now required when moving around public areas of the studio facilities.
• As at 19^th July 2021 the legal limits on numbers of people on site has been removed, however guests are required to think about the numbers of people on site and consider reducing crew sizes to an absolute minimum.

After your Shoot

• If you or any of your guests go on to develop any Covid-19 symptoms, please report this to the NHS Test & Trace Service immediately.
  

Additional Covid-Secure Information

Studio Cleaning Policy

We have undertaken a comprehensive review of cleaning which identifies the areas at risk of spreading the virus. As such we will undertake to provide the following:

• Before each studio booking, we will clean areas including dressing room and studio work surfaces, door handles, washroom facilities, light switches and other touchpoints using a recognised anti-viral cleanser in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations.
• Hot and cold drinks will continue to be provided upon request. You are welcome to bring your own refreshments if you prefer and we have disposable cups available on request.
• Items that are shared such as props will continue to be available, however will be unavailable for 72 hours after the previous use. We ask that you place used items to one side after use so that we can handle them accordingly. If you require anything specific for your shoot, please inform us with more than 72 hours’ notice to ensure of its availability.
• Dressing gowns and robes will not be available for use during this time. Please ensure that your guests bring their own if applicable.
• Radio triggers and light meters, which are available for all to use, will be cleansed using IPA based wipes between each use. In addition to cleaning, we will also be rotating the radio triggers after each use. You are welcome to bring your own if you wish.
• When handling equipment, please ensure good hand hygiene or if you prefer, we’re always happy to assist with any lighting set-up or changes. If you do move equipment, please leave to one side at the end of your shoot so that we can attend to its cleaning afterwards.

Enhanced Cancellation Policy

We recognise that it may be possible that certain bookings may need to be changed or postponed during this time.

As such, in addition to our existing policy, we are offering an enhanced protection for bookings by allowing for bookings to amended, even at short notice if you or anyone in your party:

• Encounters any of the documented symptoms as previously mentioned at any point before or during their shoot. You must contact NHS Test and Trace should you experience any symptoms listed.
• Are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a contact and required to self-isolate.
• Are in a household with someone displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or with someone asked to self-isolate or quarantine for any purpose by the health authorities.
• This enhanced policy does not include those required to quarantine as a result of foreign travel or any change of Government policy regarding Travel Corridors, Test to Release or other travel related rules.

Should you need to change your booking to a later date for any of these reasons, we will be happy to offer alternative dates within the following six weeks from the date booked at no additional charge. Proof of such requirements may be requested to facilitate this.

Shoot Policy

• The number of people attending each booking should be kept to an absolute minimum.
• All those attending to maintain social distancing wherever possible, wearing face coverings when appropriate.
• Provision has been made in the studio to display images directly to a large LCD screen in the studio, rather than showing backs of camera. Cameras with HDMI, Mini HDMI or Micro HDMI connections are supported, if your camera or laptop uses an alternative to these connection types, please bring an appropriate adaptor.
• When taking light meter readings, we recommend taking measurements without the subject present wherever possible.
• Please avoid the sharing of personal items such as phones, computers, pens etc.
• Where items are provided to the subjects, for example wardrobe items, these should not have been used within the preceding 72 hours by any other party. However, where this is not possible, we have provided a garment steamer in the dressing room which will sanitise garments.
• Everyone is responsible for the safety of their own work areas.

Hair & Make Up Policy

• Each stylist is required to have conducted their own Covid Secure assessment and use all required sanitisation processes and PPE as directed by Government, HSE and PHE polices.
• Stylists and MUAs not able to perform their role in accordance with this policy will not be permitted to operate on the premises.
• In addition, we require stylists and MUAs to thoroughly cleanse their equipment using recognised products such as Barbicide or IPA, use disposable products where possible and to ensure that products are never used straight out of the package where the product will be used on others at a later date.
• MUAs and hair stylists should ensure that hands are washed or sanitised before commencing any processes on others.
• Talent should perform their own hair styling and make up wherever possible and even in the event of having a stylist or make-up artist, the talent should perform their own touch-ups or changes wherever possible.

Summary

We will do our absolute best to provide and promote a safe working environment for all visitors to Saracen House Studio to help mitigate the transmission of the virus. We actively encourage all guests to work with us to help achieve this aim.

All shoots taking place at Saracen House Studio are undertaken at the individual’s own risk and everyone should be actively looking to maintain their own personal safety though social distancing, frequent hand washing and good respiratory hygiene.

Thank you for taking the time to read this document and we look forward to safely working with you soon.

©2021 Saracen House Studio - Document Revision 1.8, 18^th July 2021