Mum scared to isolate

[PandemicPalava]

What a pickle! My mum came into contact with a colleague (direct working, passing boxes to each other) who has now tested positive for COVID. She saw him Wednesday. The results of his test came in this morning but work hasn't asked anyone to isolate.

My mum now says she hopes she isn't forced to work on Monday. I have explained until I'm blue in the face that she has to isolate no matter what. She runs a shop online and I think the company are panicking as only her and the boss know how to do it. He was also in contact and needs to isolate.

Can I complain anonymously to anyone about the company and how they are handling it? It's disgraceful! They are a multi million pound international company but are not towing the line and didn't engage with furlough and although not a key worker, they fabricated letters about being involved in medical manufacture last lockdown (March) so most had to go in. The British branch of the company do not
Manufacture medicine but I think one in another country does.

My poor mum feels bullied and doesn't know what to do

I was contacted by track and trace by email the day after after my positive test so it’s not straight away

[quote PandemicPalava]@Scottishskifun thank you, you've made me feel much better [/quote]
Happy to help I work in the same room as DH so have picked up a fair bit as he does his day to day stuff. In Scotland they also used environmental health officers in the early days until more track and trace were recruited (as they deal with public health outbreaks like ecoli anyway) so have a bit of a insight into the process.

It's not in the businesses interest to have forced closure so hopefully they will realise this! If they are still dragging feet then it's also worth reviewing if they can be reported to the HSE for failure to protect staff.

Let's hope something happens but their previous behaviour has led me to believe it won't. A technician was off with it and they didn't ask any of they team to isolate. Awful place

I'm going to email Environmental
Health regardless and look into HSE

I did not read past no masks and no cleaners !

The employer should have provided the employees with a written risk assessment.

Yes I would definitely report to the HSE executive annomously if you want .

As an employer I am just in shock .

And then people have the cheek to blame the government . Unbelievable.

They're complete bullies. They are a multinational multi million pound company who would suffer no huge loss by implementing decent distancing PPE and safety measures. They're just all about profit

I may send the same email to HSE as I have just drafted for environmental health. Do I just need to outline the details that I know… What I have been told has come from my mum so I know it isn't necessarily classed as concrete evidence of anything but would it be enough to spark them to look into it do you think?

@PandemicPalava they have to look at all complaints even if it's just one person checking if it is reasonable. It will be taken as third party but best to be clear from the outset especially in relation to if they have asked your mum to work when she has been in close proximity for x period of time without any additional measures in place.

Stick to the facts that your mum has given you. In regard to the cleaning aspect this may be occurring outwith times that your mum is there so might be best to outline it as there is no apparent cleaning in place.

They will request risk assessments and speak to management they also can just turn up if they so wish for inspection! It depends on if it warrants it. Its worth stating that there has been other cases at the workplace and what time frames these were.

Fabulous thanks so much! I've messaged the council to check where I need to be sending it and if she hasn't been asked to isolate by Monday I'll send it with those details in too. I will be sending something regardless as the workplace is definitely not Covid secure

OK, so it looks like she does not have to isolate. I got the bit about PPE wrong… She was wearing a mask and gloves when she took the boxes from him. She does not think the contact she had with him added up to 15 minutes in total. I am however very concerned that the company have not been in touch to check this with anybody, there have been no phone calls to see who had contact with him and when, just complete silence, so she has gone in today wondering whether anybody will be asked to isolate. Some people definitely had 15 mins indoors.

I've calmed down a bit about it now but still feel that the company should have done some kind of survey of staff and done an enhanced clean on Friday. No wonder this thing is spreading about if everything is handled so different everywhere

Update - my mum's colleague died and magically they're now taking Covid seriously.

Oh so sorry to hear that

I am so sorry to hear this op :-( That is devastating. I hope your mum is making sure to wear a good quality mask at all times in work? I am glad to hear the company have finally decided to take covid seriously, albeit too late for the colleague Though I don't know where he caught it of course.