Should my plumber have worn a mask?

[Jenasaurus]

I had a blocked sink that nothing would shift the blockage, so much that everytime the washing machine went on the water came up and flooded my kitchen, tried everything and in the end contacted my resident facebook page for a recommendation.

The guy turned up, very pleasant guy, wasnt wearing a mask though, and touched my hand on many occassions as I was helping him by holding a bucket under the washing machine hoses as it emptied..he told me he has worked throughout lockdown. He did a great job but when talking about it to my DS who asked about the blockage I realised he wasnt wearing a mask and had been in and out of houses all day fixing drains etc., What is the rule on this as we were not 1m apart and in a small kitchen as I was holding his hose to stop it leaking.

[Uhoh2020]

I had my boiler serviced last week before the guy came in he asked if I wanted him to wear a mask or not. I told him I wasn't bothered either way and left it up to him, he didn't wear one. He did wear gloves and I was not within 2m of him at any time.

[Bol87]

@BellaintheWychElm - I asked them twice. Once when they arrived. They said yes & put them round their necks .. I then asked again once they were in my kitchen. They said ‘in a minute’ & never did. At that point I felt uncomfortable to ask again. They were two burley men calling me ‘love’ every 3 minutes & I was home on my own. They also managed to break my washing completely rather than fix a problem so I dobbed them in quite happily.

[Waxonwaxoff0]

I moved house a couple of months ago. My decorator doesn't wear a mask but the man who came to install Sky did. I'm not bothered either way.

[AuntieStella]

I wouid ask people to wear a mask inside my house, and definitely my mother's

And I would mention the need at time of booking, so the firm could select the right person for the job (ie someine who can wear the safety kit which protects the client)

If they can supply no-one able to mitigate risk when entering households, I would be questioning whether they are meeting requirements of DDA in making the proper adjustments when providing services. I get that some people might be unable to,wear masks, but would a firm really have no-one avaioabke who could?

[Love2cycle]

I do similar job and its not policy to wear a mask in people's houses. I do always ask out of courtesy though. People are so different, some are very strict about it all and some don't really care. As far as I'm concerned it's all part of the customer service now. I must add that manual labour in a mask is not comfortable though, and I have to keep stepping outside for fresh air.

[ittakes2]

I have had to have workmen over - every single one of their employers said they would be wearing a mask - none did although one wore his under his chin! Another said his employer had given him one for each day and he’d run out. I keep spares now and if appropriate ask them to wear one - but for hot sweaty work it seems too cruel so I just open windows and stay away from them.

[EleanorOalike]

I’ve been shielding and had boiler trouble
several times during lockdown including a leak that went into the electrics. Must have had over half a dozen British Gas Homecare guys out. Every single one wore a mask and maintained social distancing. They even supplied some non British Gas workers who had to come in with masks when they saw they weren’t wearing them. I don’t know if this was because they knew it was marked as a “Vulnerable Household” or if it’s standard but I was impressed.

I do feel uncomfortable when workers are in the house and won’t wear a mask when they also won’t social distance. It’s the highest “risk” activity at the moment that I’m likely to encounter as I’m still getting food delivered, not going out to eat or socialise etc. I realise I can’t enforce it though.

[Babdoc]

My plumber arrived in in a mask, a disposable full paper boiler suit over his clothes, and plastic overshoes, with his own hand towel and sanitiser. I had to sign a declaration that I had no Covid symptoms, that the window would be open where he was working, and that I would stay 2 metres away from him and wear a mask myself.
Mind you, his grandfather (still working) was head of the Scottish plumbing federation or whatever they’re called, and is excellent at complying with all the guidance!