LTB 172/20 - Royal Mail Group - Coronavirus COVID 19 Precautions, Hygiene and Supply Shortages - Critical Supplies Update

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 172/20 - Royal Mail Group – Coronavirus COVID 19 Precautions, Hygiene and Supply Shortages – Critical Supplies Update

No. 172/2020

1st April 2020

Our Ref: E1/20

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues

Royal Mail Group – Coronavirus COVID 19 Precautions, Hygiene and Supply Shortages – Critical Supplies Update

Further to the reports published in LTBs 125/20 and 142/20, this is to update Area and Workplace Health and Safety Reps, Branches and members.

The Health, Safety & Environment Department continues to press Royal Mail Assets and Royal

Mail Procurement on this weekly but there continues to be a national and worldwide shortage of these products.

The following update on critical supplies has been provided:

National Asset Team Critical Supplies Update

S-WBC dispatches in the 24hours up to 07:00 today

750 x 1 litre bottles of sanitiser (606 further bottles to be dispatched today one to every delivery office)
2,018 packs of gloves minimum of 1 pack to each delivery office

S-WBC stock on hand for dispatching today

Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-17.41.40-1.png

Antibacterial Wipes

 Total Orders placed for 111,310 packs & tubs ordered totalling 9.7 Million wipes

o 242 packs and tubs received and dispatched (from RHH)

o 110,400 packs ordered from our suppliers due to start arriving into S-WBC 11th April

Gloves

 Total Orders placed for 49,881 packs totalling 4.9 million gloves

o 3.4 million gloves have been delivered to plants for distributing

o 1.6 million gloves are on route to S-WBC for distribution

Hand Sanitisers

 Total Orders placed for 434k bottles ordered

o 180,000 100ml bottles due to be flown from Shanghai on 31st March due in the UK 2nd April

o 85,200 236ml bottles due to be flown from Shanghai awaiting confirmation on flight schedule

o 56,000 50ml Hand Sanitisers delivered between 26th-27th/03/2020 to SWBC for distribution

o 20,000 100ml Hand Sanitisers are due w/c 30th March to S-WBC for distribution

o 9,000 50ml Hand Sanitisers are due w/c 30th March to S-WBC for distribution

o 3,000 1000ml Hand Sanitisers are due w/c 30th March to S-WBC for distribution

o 81,000 60ml Hand Sanitisers are due w/c 30th March to S-WBC for distribution

o 6,300 1000ml Hand Sanitisers are due w/c 30th March to S-WBC for distribution

o 150,000 50ml Hand Sanitisers are due 3rd April to S-WBC for distribution

Masks

 Total confirmed orders placed for 402,000 masks

Branches will be kept informed and advised.

Any enquiries on the above should be addressed to me at rellis@cwu.org

Yours sincerely



Ray Ellis

Acting National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-mtrejd-jtfljuhyd-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sindba]

WE'RE SAVED!

[scoobymunster]

Is the masks for managers? I thought they said OPGs don't need them?

[Ted the dog]

Any chance we can have visors to use in the office
Like the ones the nhs are using

[ssdd]

I don't effin get this! It's enough getting mixed messages from the government, but now this!
We're hearing from Dave and Terry that washing hands is the 'gold standard' and that we're safe to continue without the full PPE. Now a substantial order like this?
And why the masks? They're not recommended by Public Health out of a clinical setting. Or are RM recognising that there is in fact a lack of social distancing within offices?

[Williaal2]

Any chance we can have visors to use in the office
Like the ones the nhs are using

The NHS do not have enough for themselves. And they take precedence!

The company need to enforce the 2 metre rule, give frequent wash breaks, give every postie hand sanitizer for when they are on walks (problematic due to supplies).

[ssdd]

Any chance we can have visors to use in the office
Like the ones the nhs are using

The NHS do not have enough for themselves. And they take precedence!

The company need to enforce the 2 metre rule, give frequent wash breaks, give every postie hand sanitizer for when they are on walks (problematic due to supplies).

Exactly! With a shortage of masks in the NHS, surely these should be going to them.

[taurus88]

As far as masks are concerned, I would just wear one. The countries in which this has spread the least are all on the side of mask-wearing, and masks are viewed as a necessity in a clinical environment. It might only be 10% more effective than not, but that could be the difference.

[RTP]

Need at least a mask a day. Should keep us all going for 4 days when they eventually arrive.

[Janet Brum]

A mask has to be changed every 30 minutes to be affective, gloves has to be changed every time we touch something.
This is how they do it in NHS, wearing a pair of gloves all day and a mask for hours doesn`t make anyone immune to the virus.

400k masks equals approx 2 masks per postie, not useful at all, why they ordered them, God knows.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Masks can help stop the spread of coronavirus - but only if they are used in the right circumstances.

The World Health Organization says only two types of people should wear masks, those who are:

- sick and show symptoms
- caring for people suspected to have the coronavirus

Why doesn't everyone wear one?

Surgical masks are not recommended for the general public because:

-they can be contaminated by other people's coughs and sneezes or when putting them on or removing them
-frequent hand-washing and social distancing are more effective
- they might offer a false sense of security

Coronavirus is spread by droplets that can spray into the air when those infected talk, cough and sneeze.

These can enter the body through the eyes, nose and mouth, either directly or after touching a contaminated object.

But if these people wear masks, these droplets may be curtailed.

The general public are not advised to wear gloves or any other protective gear.

To protect yourself from coronavirus, the NHS recommends:

-Wash hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds and immediately on returning home
-Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve - not your hands - when you cough or sneeze
- Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

[ssdd]

I don't effin get this! It's enough getting mixed messages from the government, but now this!
We're hearing from Dave and Terry that washing hands is the 'gold standard' and that we're safe to continue without the full PPE. Now a substantial order like this?
And why the masks? They're not recommended by Public Health out of a clinical setting. Or are RM recognising that there is in fact a lack of social distancing within offices?

Answering my own question here. Found POSTMAN's update in the other thread:
https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... 3&start=20

Todays update 31 March...

Hand sanitiser has been ordered and supplies will be sent to units as soon as possible. Stock availability does change as the demand is high and all organisations are accessing the same limited supply including the NHS.

Masks

We are not issuing masks as PPE against coronavirus for all roles.

People often touch masks frequently adjusting them and ‘checking’ them and risk potentially picking up the virus from the mask onto their hands when they remove it. The primary preventative guidance is hand hygiene supported by the 2m social physical distancing.

Where we have identified specific roles for whom observing the 2m physical distancing is at times difficult masks are being provided. However, in those cases the 2m physical distancing must be observed when possible and hand hygiene rules including not touching the mouth, nose and eyes or before eating must continue to be observed.

[tractorboy2]

Also masks have to be worn at all times and cannot be removed to smoke a cigarette or eat a meal.

[LouBarlow]

Also masks have to be worn at all times and cannot be removed to smoke a cigarette or eat a meal.

If there is nobody else around you, this isn't true at all. They are worn to protect from expelled droplets, the virus doesn't just float around in the atmosphere waiting to shoot up your nostrils.

Masks should be worn by everyone. They only reason the WHO isn't saying this is because there is a shortage.

[CRIBMAD]

HOORAH ! our farting little bottle of sanitizer has finally arrived - only problem ALCOHOL FREE - may as well be water

[LouBarlow]

Re Masks - watch this video at the 15.50 mark, then look at the infection rate in South Korea, then go buy a mask.

https://youtu.be/gAk7aX5hksU?t=950" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;