Reporting workplace?

[queenofpandas]

Hi all, I've namechanged for this. Has anyone reported their workplace for having unsafe covid practices. I work back office at a college and the situation is dire. There is no social distancing, hot desking is being encouraged, the desks have not been separated out so everyone is crammed in and facing each other, we have been asked to wear masks in the corridors but we must take them off in the office area. We have already had 4 reported cases (since 7th sept). I, for example, work across 3 different offices in 3 separate sites. I am expected to travel to these 3 on a daily basis so I am mixing with a lot of people. All in all it's not covid secure and I don't feel safe. I have flagged this as have 15 other members of staff however we have been told we are responsible for our own safety. We are no longer allowed to work from home (even though we all worked well during lockdown), we face disciplinary action if we press the matter. I don't know what else to do. I'm panicked, anxious and feel so unsafe!

If you are all complaining then rearrange the workplace to suit!

@LoveNote we can't, we have been told we are unable to do this. It's more hot desking which is frustrating

Same situation for me too op. Not college but similar set up you describe, re crammed in desks and hot dealing and no consideration by management of personal space. Those of us in offices are slightly better off than those staff who are public facing, staff are being encouraged to wear masks but ‘management’ won’t come out and ask the public who use our building for various activities to wear masks as they don’t want to upset them - worried about them not returning.
It’s awful situation, we haven’t had any known cases yet but I feel with their lax attitude it will only be a matter of time.

Journos would love to talk to you, OP.

I used to work in similar environment before COVID. I was thinking about my college and if there was a way to Covid proof. One site was newly made with open plan. No way to separate people. Management was not interested in wellbeing of staff. I wonder if you work as a support worker for the same college I used to work.

Is that actually anywhere to escalate issues tho?? That's an interesting point because there's talk of all these fines but how do you report it?????

Maybe they will open a hotline???

@queenofpandas I suspect we work at the same place!!

@BitGutted I believe there is a online form you can do..

@wayforwardisnot potentially we have just had 'renovations' done which makes everything more open

@queenofpandas if that is the case, I feel for you. I left because of the stress and unreasonable pressure. If the hot desks are next to each other then no physical distancing is possible.

You can report it to the Health and Safety Executive here www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm

It will be triaged for follow up based on the information available /potential seriousness of breach etc. You can be anonymous if you wish.