Scottish Government Coronavirus/Covid-19 - Updated Guidance on Face Masks/Coverings:

[Woody Guthrie]

CWU Area Safety Reps have contacted the Scottish Government for clarity on the mandatory wearing of face masks.
22 October 2020
Coronavirus/Covid-19 Outbreak Management / Key Workers / PPE Directorate
Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Cackette PH (Paul) Gordon A (Amanda)

Dear Sirs or Madam,

Re: Scottish Government Coronavirus/Covid-19 – Updated Guidance on Face Masks/Coverings:

I seek some urgent clarification of the Scottish Government’s latest updated Coronavirus/Covid-19 Guidance
on Face Masks/Coverings as our members employed in Royal Mail and Parcelforce have been thrown into a
state of total confusion by the unclear new rules. Your assistance would therefore be much appreciated.

The announced ‘Updated Face Masks Guidance for Scotland’ refers to the wearing of face coverings being a
requirement in indoor “communal workplaces”, such as corridors and “social spaces” being required from
19th October.

What are “communal workplaces”, “social spaces” in respect of Royal Mail Group buildings please?

Royal Mail and Parcelforce Buildings are, for example; Mail Centres (these are main Mail Processing Plants
or Major Sorting Offices, as we have in Glasgow and Edinburgh where incoming and outgoing mail, packets,
parcels are processed on automatic sorting machinery and manually on sorting frames and to/from roll
containers and then either despatched to local Delivery Offices or put on Logistics Road Services HGVs for
transport to other parts of the Country), Delivery Offices (these are smaller Sorting Offices where mail and
parcels are segregated, prepared and sorted into separate Delivery Rounds and then Postmen and Women go
out to Deliver the items in the local postcode area addresses). Distribution Centres (Where HGVs bring in
and take away loads of Containerised mail/parcels after segregation/sortation, in manual sort areas and using
conveyor systems etc), Parcelforce Depots where HGVs bring in Trailers of lose Parcels which are then
unloaded Sorted into delivery rounds and then loaded onto Vans to be delivered in the local areas. Outward,
collected Parcels from the area are loaded onto Trailers and sent on to the National/International Hubs for
onward trunking around the country to destination Depots for delivery or international parcels are shipped
abroad.

In other words is it just corridors? and staff canteens/restaurants whilst standing/queuing or is it that masks
are required ‘mandatory’ on the operational sorting office floors as well? We need a crystal clear answer to
deal with the present confusion and great discontent amongst our workforce caused by this.

I look forward to your urgent response and assistance which is much appreciated.

My Regards and Best Wishes.

Yours Sincerely



From Dave Joyce | National Health, Safety & Environment Officer