Outbreak at work...

[BirminghamNews]

I manage a team of around 12, in the building there are around 90 staff members. One colleague tested positive last week and since 4 others have tested positive. We have been doing every thing we could to prevent spread, I.e social distancing, wiping surfaces etc. I have 3 members of my team refusing to come in to work because they don't feel safe. Has anyone been tough similar?

Are there perspex screens, are people wearing masks? It is mainly spread when coughing or talking or shouting as that propels the virus into the air. It is passed less by surfaces.

We all wear masks, apart from sat at desk. We don't have any screens or anything; management have said no need for them. Staff are spaced 1 metre away but there are a lot of staff in smallish office

Office staff should be working from home as per government guidance, why aren't you? Also if working 1 m apart everyone should be isolating, no wonder you're all coming down with it, not covid secure at all. I would expect many more cases in the coming days if I were you, your workplace should be closed. I'd be calling in hse if I worked there.

@BirminghamNews

We all wear masks, apart from sat at desk. We don't have any screens or anything; management have said no need for them. Staff are spaced 1 metre away but there are a lot of staff in smallish office

I think after an hour or so at your desk in those conditions it would have spread around the room. Wearing a mask here ticks a box but doesn't stop it - its airborne.

Let's just say my workplace had between 20 and 15 people off over the last 2 weeks ( out of about 60). Half of the team I work in got infected within 2 days of each other. Some teams had over 2/3rd off.

It was very worrying as you feel it is only a matter of time until you get it too, which I did the last week.

I sympathise with your colleagues - are they vulnerable?

Where I work people resigned themselves to getting infected and did our best to pick up the slack. No action by public health etc and no change to procedures though. It does get concerning when you see come colleagues back after the 10 days looking wiped out but ok but then see others not recovered at all after nearly 3 weeks.

Your team are correct - you’re not covid safe/secure whatever and five people testing positive in a short amount of time indicates an outbreak.

You should be moving to home working or completely closing the office for two weeks to isolate. Have you or your managers taken advice from PHE or track and trace? If not I think your company needs to tread carefully because you have a duty of care that will leave you liable.

If you’re middle management I would think very carefully about the instructions you’re receiving (are they officially in writing?). Do not underestimate how quickly the blame will be shifted to the most convenient scape goat if it turns nasty.

"We have been doing every thing we could to prevent spread, I.e social distancing, wiping surfaces etc."

Then you go on to say you are sat in a busy small room at desks with no mask or barrier just 1 metre apart

I'd refuse too. Stop talking and start acting

I'd say they need to be 2 metres apart, plus circulation space and plenty of ventilation. Your staff are right.

I agree I have been speaking to director but no one seems to listen. We work for NHS so would have thought they would know better

Your staff aren't safe, they are sat 1m apart without masks. That isn't the guidelines.

we have been forced to stay working in the office, but its been checked out and deemed covid safe as people are 2m apart. if it wasn't possible to do that they said they would have to close the office and/or lay for screens. you can report the office and they will get an inspection to check safety.

Even if 2m apart and with masks, you still need to have the windows open.
If its too cold to have them open all the time, try opening them for 15 minutes per hour (that's the latest advice to schools)

I work in the nhs too and it's as if these rules of wfh and distancing Don't apply to us!! Management are happy for us to be thrown to the wolves just so the job gets done!

i wouldn't work there.
i wouldnt take the chance. they should be able to work from home. nothing seems t have been done to reduce the risk.

I’m in the NHS and we have very clear guidelines - every office has a maximum capacity and we had to move furniture so that we are 2m apart. Masks must be worn when not at our desks and we have a rota so we can keep to the maximum occupancy, on our non office days we work from home. I’d been phoning occupational health in your shoes.

I thought you could only be closer than 2m WITH other mitigating measures, ie masks.

I'd not be feeling safe either.

I can't believe how negligent your superiors are being - and doubly so given you work in the NHS.

Ah @BirminghamNews, my sympathies. I’m NHS and my management team have actively fought against WFH, wearing masks in the office and limiting visitors to our office (the reception houses multiple desks yet is still being used as a waiting area for interviews and meetings). I’m fully expecting this exact scenario at some point and am trying my best to get out of there.

What’s your whistle blowing policy and have you taken union advice?

My sister works for the NHS, same set up, 1m between desks. Masks worn whilst stood up and walking around. We were only discussing the other day how inappropriate it was!

You need eye protection too, spectacle wearers get protection from their specs.

@Siddalee

Can I ask where you read this, I run a nursery and I’m keen to find out more about ventilation.

What does your H&S team say about this? Have they done a full risk assessment of your current working conditions in respect of COVID. First thing our H&S team did and a boatload of our staff are WFH to leave enough space for others to work safely - I’m NHS too.

@BirminghamNews

We all wear masks, apart from sat at desk. We don't have any screens or anything; management have said no need for them. Staff are spaced 1 metre away but there are a lot of staff in smallish office

1 metre isn't enough. 2 metres only dropped to 1 if other preventative measures are in place (i.e. masks and ideally in outside space as it's airborne). Then there's toilets, door handles, canteens, water coolers, lifts, stairs etc.

We're in the office on a rota basis and only yesterday had a Skype call reminding people to stay 2 meters away from people (and people at desks are two metres apart)

No open windows? Air conditioning which is not effective and may circulate air not push lots through? The virus stays in the air for a lot longer than some people think, surely your management knows that being NHS but they may not have any authority to do anything about it.

This in interesting re ventilation. Copied from another thread.
english.elpais.com/society/2020-10-28/a-room-a-bar-and-a-class-how-the-coronavirus-is-spread-through-the-air.html