Workplace COVID Secure-ness

[IRW]

Hey folks,

Another not particularly theatre-y topic I'm afraid, but I feel that a wider discussion on this topic could well be applicable to us, and to be quite honest, I feel in need of a bit of backup from folks who understand that I do (generally speaking!) know what I'm talking about when it comes to matters of applying H&S policies pragmatically. With a few exceptions, the people I'm currently working with have no idea about what working in technical theatre actually entails...

 

 

As some of you will know, I'm currently filling my time delivering for a local big-chain supermarket. I've mostly just been trying to keep my head down and get on with the job (after all, as we would say if a show is being managed by someone else, it's not my gig, and I don't want to be treading on someone's toes...). What makes flagging the following up a bit more difficult is the department manager is actually a really nice chap, and was very understanding when I asked to reduce my hours (I was pretty honest, and quite frankly told him that the nature of the job, in comparison to my usual forte, was somewhat getting to me), and he transferred me onto a permanent contract in October when it became clear that live events were not going to be returning any time soon, so you can hopefully see how I'm currently feeling somewhat stuck between a bit of a moral and ethical hard place!

 

 

Over the course of the last month or so, I've been flagging up various things to the manager with regards to problems within the department ranging from a lack of approved cleaning wipes for the vans, to more general poor practices that are occurring, but nothing seems to be getting done or sorted, and every time I do flag something up, I very much feel like the response I'm getting is akin to a pat on the head and a nod and smile, so, given the current wider situation in our region, with COVID levels going through the roof, I feel I now have no choice but to go over his head.

 

 

Getting to my point in question, it's reached the stage where I feel that, given the current state of affairs, the department is no longer a safe place to work, as due to the following, I believe that there is a 'serious and imminent danger' in relation to section 44 of the Employment Act, and I really don't want to go in until it's sorted. Those of you who know me, or are familiar with my posts here will know that isn't something I'd say lightly. My next shift is due to be on Tuesday, so I'm going to try and phone the store manager (next level up from my manager) tomorrow to go through my concerns with her. Given that I feel there's actually a real danger to the wider community as well, I've got no problems with taking it even higher if it's not resolved 'in-house' in a timely manner.

 

 

Here's the list of what I intend to bring up:

 

 

-PPE (by way of disposable gloves) not available (I have identified a need for them and it's listed in the policies)

-Cleaning equipment (i.e. the COSHH assessed cleaning wipes as per policy) seemingly not available whenever I ask for a new pack due to there being none in the vehicle I've been allocated. Secondary point being that the company COSHH assessment and MSDS state that hands must be washed after using these wipes, which is obviously not possible on the road.

-Due to the layout of the room where we pick up our deliveries from, poor manual handling is prevalent, and social-distancing is non-existant.

-Many members of the department (including team leaders and management) are wearing face coverings improperly, or not at all.

-Other drivers congregate and converse around the (standard sized double) exit door to the loading bays, meaning those of us who follow the rules have to walk across (unmasked) conversations.

-Company policy of 'only one person at a time' in walk-in fridges and freezers is not being adhered to.

-Some drivers are, it would seem, leaving crates with customers and/or allowing customers to take crates into their, houses, against the company policy. This is causing confusion and friction at the doorstep when those of us who follow the policy deliver to those customers.

-Faulty and dangerous electric hook up cables are not being safely taken out of use.

 

I believe that these individual problems are potentially leading to following wider problems:

-Because cleaning equipment is not easily available, I believe many of the staff are effectively just shrugging their shoulders and just 'getting on with things'. This is putting the wider driving workforce at risk due to the shared van system

-Drivers allowing customers to handle crates is putting the wider dispatch/driving workforce at risk.

-Poor adherence to company COVID protocol (which is actually very well put together) generally, is putting the entire department, and therefore business continuity, at risk.

 

 

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts / advice / comfort folks!.

Edited January 11, 2021 by IRW

[pmiller056]

I've been in a similar (non-Covid) situation. The problem is a failure of local managment. The local managment will get their backsides kicked if deliveries are late or productivity is poor. They will only be held to account when somone falls ill with Covid and contact tracing starts. Most of the big supermarket workforces have good trade union representation, so your best course of action is to get the local union branch involved. In your current employment, trade union membership is well worth the membership fees to help you in this type of situation.

 

[Robin D]

I work in Retail for many years albeit on IT and systems. In your shoes I would call HO and not initially identify myself, and ask to speak to whoever is responsible for health and safety within the organisation. Then share with them your concerns and identity, and the fact that you believe your boss is doing his best in balancing many balls, but clearly needs support and guidance. Point out the impact an outbreak linked to the organisation with have on PR.

 

It may still all go sour, but should get dealt with sensitively.

[Cerbertech]

If it is a large scale company - check for a whistle blowing policy - most have some form of confidential, the best ones even use an external company to handle employee concerns.

[sandall]

A couple of points -

There are arguments both ways about disposable gloves (I had this battle at my Remembrance event) - if you have been infected, or have contaminated hands, every time you put on a new pair of gloves you risk contaminating everything you then touch with these gloves, but are also likely to be less careful about what you touch, because you are wearing gloves (Catch-22).

 

Allowing customers to handle crates is also putting the customers, & their families, at risk.

 

Your mention oft people congregating reminds me of the early stages of the pandemic, when the bus drivers at our local garage (who were then at very high risk) would gather for a chat & a smoke at the start of their shift.

[IRW]

I've been in a similar (non-Covid) situation. The problem is a failure of local managment. The local managment will get their backsides kicked if deliveries are late or productivity is poor. They will only be held to account when somone falls ill with Covid and contact tracing starts. Most of the big supermarket workforces have good trade union representation, so your best course of action is to get the local union branch involved. In your current employment, trade union membership is well worth the membership fees to help you in this type of situation.

I'm somewhat loathe to join the trade union, as I really don't intend to be here that much longer. I'm also of the strong opinion that I'd much rather give them the chance to deal with the problems in-house- I know if I was in a senior management position in this situation, I'd much rather employees felt able to come to me (and expect to be taken seriously) rather than go over my head and not make me aware of the problems.

 

 

 

I work in Retail for many years albeit on IT and systems. In your shoes I would call HO and not initially identify myself, and ask to speak to whoever is responsible for health and safety within the organisation. Then share with them your concerns and identity, and the fact that you believe your boss is doing his best in balancing many balls, but clearly needs support and guidance. Point out the impact an outbreak linked to the organisation with have on PR.

 

It may still all go sour, but should get dealt with sensitively.

 

As above, I'm kind of over this job now, so I don't really mind if they know it's me flagging things up. If I don't do it any longer, my wife and I are pretty sure we'll be able to get by on her salary until such a time that events work comes back online. Good point about mentioned about the balls the boss is juggling.

 

If it is a large scale company - check for a whistle blowing policy - most have some form of confidential, the best ones even use an external company to handle employee concerns.

There is a whistle blowing helpline, and indeed it would be my next port of call. As above though, if it was me in the managers position, I'd appreciate a concerned employee giving me the opportunity to sort it out in-house, so I feel it's only fair to the store to work through this option first.

 

A couple of points -

There are arguments both ways about disposable gloves (I had this battle at my Remembrance event) - if you have been infected, or have contaminated hands, every time you put on a new pair of gloves you risk contaminating everything you then touch with these gloves, but are also likely to be less careful about what you touch, because you are wearing gloves (Catch-22).

 

Allowing customers to handle crates is also putting the customers, & their families, at risk.

 

Your mention oft people congregating reminds me of the early stages of the pandemic, when the bus drivers at our local garage (who were then at very high risk) would gather for a chat & a smoke at the start of their shift.

 

On the gloves front, I agree, there are swings and roundabouts- I tend to use them as a 'belt-and-braces' approach, combined with anti-bac gel, if I need to, say, go into an old/disabled persons house as per the policies. Similarly, if I need to go into a block of flats, I'll put them on before immediately before going in, and take them off and dispose of them when I get back to the van, along with wiping down anything I've touched that's going back on the van (tray/trolley handles). RE: the customers and crates, that's actually exactly what I tell them.

[bruce]

Certainly local to me there have been a number of supermarkets which have had to temporarily close due to staff self-isolation, and this BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/55602866 may be useful to highlight the issue.

 

It sounds like you have a decent relationship with the store manager. Can you express your concerns to him - maybe show him your original message - and say "I need to escalate this; but I don't feel comfortable going over your head or going to the whistleblower line unless I really have to".

[kerry davies]

Much of this could be because the boss is "a really nice chap" who does not like to insist on the rules. He might appreciate a full and frank discussion about your concerns as the mental health of those under his authority is also part of his legal duty. By full and frank I do mean diplomatic not ranting but pointing out that you can't do your job as efficiently as the company deserves because you can't go in fridges, get past knots of gossips, maintain social distancing etc. It might be useful to start by explaining your past duties and the fact that legally you are bound to report these things.

 

As for wipes I think I would use my staff discount to buy my own personal stock (I have a pack in my car) and open all windows wide while wiping down inside the van and for the first few minutes drive "airing" it out. It is frustrating to watch others breach sensible H&S rules and even the law. It is not your responsibility to do any more than report it, but report it you should.

[alistermorton]

Regarding the groups standing around chatting and having a smoke, a friend of mine drives buses in Cumbria, and had just that experience, where he had to push through the smokers to get to his bus, and found the same no masks and standing too close problems. He got yelled at for repeatedly pointing this out, and eventually retaliated with "just get out of my f***ing face, guys" which resulted in the expected response - he got yelled back at and could feel the spittle hitting him.

 

He's just recovering from a bout of Covid. Of course, no way to prove where he caught it, but he has his suspicions,. Suddenly his company are taking him seriously, and disciplining the more reckless staff. Shame it had to go that far.

[IRW]

Much of this could be because the boss is "a really nice chap" who does not like to insist on the rules. He might appreciate a full and frank discussion about your concerns as the mental health of those under his authority is also part of his legal duty. By full and frank I do mean diplomatic not ranting but pointing out that you can't do your job as efficiently as the company deserves because you can't go in fridges, get past knots of gossips, maintain social distancing etc. It might be useful to start by explaining your past duties and the fact that legally you are bound to report these things.

 

As for wipes I think I would use my staff discount to buy my own personal stock (I have a pack in my car) and open all windows wide while wiping down inside the van and for the first few minutes drive "airing" it out. It is frustrating to watch others breach sensible H&S rules and even the law. It is not your responsibility to do any more than report it, but report it you should.

 

Funnily enough, I've literally just got back home, having been up to the store. I decided to catch my direct manager one more time, and asked him to sign a page to say that he has received my concerns, but he has refused to do so without reading through it first. I tried to engage in a diplomatic discussion, but, in short, kept being met with dead ends resulting in comments along the lines of 'politicians aren't following rules' and such like. You know- the sort of things you just can't argue with because you know you'll end up just going round in circles, even though your own points are based on written legislation and policy. . As per Bruce's suggestion, I've made it abundantly clear that I don't want to go over his head, as I appreciate him giving me the work, but I feel these things need to be dealt with.

 

Anyway, he's said that if I go in tomorrow morning, he'll arrange for my van to be preloaded so I don't have to go into the main backroom, to which I said fair enough, and have agreed to go in tomorrow on that basis, but I have also made it clear that the wider points need to be dealt with.

 

On the topic of supplying my own stuff, I'm already doing that to a degree. I've bought my own bumper pack of gloves, some decent hand sanitizer (the stuff they provide is horrible to use 30+ times a day). I've been reluctant to buy my own wipes because (a) it's in the policy that we should use the particular ones they provide, partly because they don't damage the hand held device screens; (b) why should I pay for something that somebody isn't pulling their finger out to get hold of in the store; and © as it's a workplace, it should be COSHH assessed, and (d) it masks the problem of other drivers who aren't making a fuss just not bothering. As it is now, at this point I think self-preservation is now the order of the day, so I'll pick something up tomorrow.

 

As for everything else, 'watch this space', as they say. It's ironic, but they seem to very much have a 'show must go on' mentality, but no-one seems to have told them about the 'but not at the expense of safety' addendum.

 

[sandall]

It's ironic, but they seem to very much have a 'show must go on' mentality, but no-one seems to have told them about the 'but not at the expense of safety' addendum.

Also ironic is that 12 months ago many of us would also have been cutting corners to make sure that the show went on, but it is very very hard to get over the message that if you're not sure it's safe you DON'T do it.

[IRW]

It's ironic, but they seem to very much have a 'show must go on' mentality, but no-one seems to have told them about the 'but not at the expense of safety' addendum.

Also ironic is that 12 months ago many of us would also have been cutting corners to make sure that the show went on, but it is very very hard to get over the message that if you're not sure it's safe you DON'T do it.

 

Cutting corners, and dynamically risk assessed deviations from a general policy, yes, but breaking the law and/or putting me or my staff in danger? Not on my watch! In a show environment, I have a tendency to be quite insistent over these matters (within reason), and most of the time, management &/or those who I am working for are happy to take my views and advice on board.

Edited January 11, 2021 by IRW

[sandall]

It wasn't intended as a dig