Masks for indoor work

[Schiff]

Mandatory PPE is hardly a new thing so if the business decides to go down that route I'm not sure where people are going to go with the "I'm not wearing it" narrative, maybe down the jobcentre but you'll probably have to wear a mask in there.....

Given that pretty much everyone believes that RM want to cut jobs, someone would have to be a particularly special type of Covidiot to hand them their job back on a plate for gross misconduct without any payoff, simply because they refuse to wear manadatory PPE. Sadly I think that there are a few who would do exactly that.

[twiddledumb]

The government will make workers wear masks in offices, they will wait until a lot of people die first before they do it. The clowns in charge of this country don't believe in prevention, just reacting like the corrupt morons they are when it is way to late. Cases are going through the roof in Europe, so we will get a surge in a couple of weeks. The idiots in charge will do something then. It seems they think covid dies in the english channel/north sea.

[PostmanBitesDog]

The clowns in charge of this country don't believe in prevention, just reacting like the corrupt morons they are when it is way too late.

Yep, you can say that again.

Earlier today: PM Unable to Give Figures on Contacts Missed Through COVID Testing "Glitch"



PM Boris Johnson: "Bibble, bobble, babble..."

[joewyan]

Considering cases started increasing once face masks were made mandatory in shops they do not help because people think that if they are wearing a mask that they are invincible, they forget about social distancing and hand hygiene because the mask will stop all infection.

This is just my opinion but it should be personal choice in a workplace, in all of these months our huge office has barely had any cases so why start now? If people want to wear them and other PPE then that is their choice but mandatory, I don’t think so.

Then I am afraid those people don't understand why we are asked to wear a mask. It isn't to protect the individual, but to stop the individual passing on the virus if they are pre-symptomatic, or non symptomatic.

As others have pointed out, it's the law so whether you support mandatory wearing of PPE or not is immaterial. Hi Viz vests are mandatory in a vehicle yards, limits on weight for various tasks are mandatory, moving equipment has mandatory limits . In some cases people have died, been sacked, or injured themselves (and others) because they ignored mandatory PPE or H&S instructions.

Maybe they don’t understand the concept of a mask but that doesn’t hide the fact that the supermarkets have been far less safe since masks were made mandatory instead of limiting numbers and social distancing measures.

There is no evidence that non symptomatic people can pass the virus on as they do not have a significant viral load.

It is not the law to wear a mask in a workplace. Mandatory PPE is required for certain things such as Hi Viz vests that you mention but at no point have masks been made mandatory in a workplace! If people cannot have the self control to socially distance then maybe they shouldn’t be in a workplace! That is what stops the virus! People have exemptions to them for health reasons also so what are you suggesting they would have to do? Be sacked for not wearing PPE?

[joewyan]

Amazon has made mask wearing compulsory in its fulfilment centres since lockdown started after it had a couple of early outbreaks, exemption requires medical evidence. No mask-no work.

Masks, gloves, sanitiser all available from the kick off. Doubled their cleaning staff and have dedicated touch point cleaners who just go round the whole place constantly cleaning contact surfaces.

They may be s**t to work for but they make us look like a bunch of amateurs.

Spot on.

Here at RM we have the added advantage that we do huge amounts of work outdoors. I'm sure that anyone with a disability meaning that they were unable to wear a mask indoors to protect their colleagues could easily be found 38 hours of outdoor work each week as a reasonable adjustment.

You genuinely feel that giving someone with a genuine reason not to wear a mask 38 hours of outdoor work is reasonable?

[PostmanBitesDog]

that doesn’t hide the fact that the supermarkets have been far less safe since masks were made mandatory instead of limiting numbers and social distancing measures.

Huh?

[Woody Guthrie]

at no point have masks been made mandatory in a workplace!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... e-your-own" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Staff in indoor settings

Face coverings must be worn by retail, leisure and hospitality staff working in areas that are open to the public and where they’re likely to come into contact with a member of the public. This includes:

shops
supermarkets
bars
pubs
restaurants
cafes
banks
estate agents
post offices
public areas of hotels and hostels

[Woody Guthrie]

People have exemptions to them for health reasons also so what are you suggesting they would have to do?

Get a note from the doctor.
Like what you have to do to be exempt from wearing Royal Mail footwear.
Shouldn't be a problem if the reason is.... genuine.
Stop all the bullshit excuses from people who just can't be arsed.
There's very few genuine reasons. .

[Dorset Plodder]

People have exemptions to them for health reasons also so what are you suggesting they would have to do?

Get a note from the doctor.
Like what you have to do to be exempt from wearing Royal Mail footwear.
Shouldn't be a problem if the reason is.... genuine.
Stop all the bullshit excuses from people who just can't be arsed.
There's very few genuine reasons. .

I agree.... Always make me wonder when you see someone walking around in a shop with no mask. I try to bear in mind the old adage That Not All Disabilities are Visible...... BUT I do wonder if they just can't be arsed. Some people can get quite inventive with all their ailments & sypthoms. In which case how are shop staff meant to be policing it? My Missus always has a moan about having to wear a mask .... I just tell her to shut up moaning and get on with it FFS!

[joewyan]

at no point have masks been made mandatory in a workplace!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... e-your-own" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Staff in indoor settings

Face coverings must be worn by retail, leisure and hospitality staff working in areas that are open to the public and where they’re likely to come into contact with a member of the public. This includes:

shops
supermarkets
bars
pubs
restaurants
cafes
banks
estate agents
post offices
public areas of hotels and hostels

These are public facing areas that are workplaces. Workplaces without the public do not have to wear masks.

[joewyan]

People have exemptions to them for health reasons also so what are you suggesting they would have to do?

Get a note from the doctor.
Like what you have to do to be exempt from wearing Royal Mail footwear.
Shouldn't be a problem if the reason is.... genuine.
Stop all the bullshit excuses from people who just can't be arsed.
There's very few genuine reasons. .

I’m sure the doctors would be very pleased with everyone contacting them for a note, or maybe they don’t have enough to do especially when most won’t even see people face to face

[postslippete]

Maybe they don’t understand the concept of a mask but that doesn’t hide the fact that the supermarkets have been far less safe since masks were made mandatory instead of limiting numbers and social distancing measures.

There is no evidence that non symptomatic people can pass the virus on as they do not have a significant viral load.

It is not the law to wear a mask in a workplace. Mandatory PPE is required for certain things such as Hi Viz vests that you mention but at no point have masks been made mandatory in a workplace! If people cannot have the self control to socially distance then maybe they shouldn’t be in a workplace! That is what stops the virus! People have exemptions to them for health reasons also so what are you suggesting they would have to do? Be sacked for not wearing PPE?

The trouble with people is that they like to make up their own rules. Like, for example, they don't like wearing a mask because the government insists that they should be wearing one to help keep the virus in check or make up daft excuses that they have some sort of health reason without any evidence. They believe in a Utopian world that people are simply going to go out of their way to avoid each other and socially distance. I don't know of many offices that are doing that right now....

The virus is being spread because 1. people are not socially distancing and 2. not wearing facemasks

[TrueBlueTerrier]

In its recent updated guidance on mask wearing, WHO said studies of asymptomatic transmission to date are small but that virus spread via fomites (objects and surfaces) in those cases cannot be ruled out.

Furthermore, Van Kerkhove said, many cases that are labeled asymptomatic may not truly be that, but instead are mild — but detectable — illnesses.

This is why it may still be important for seemingly healthy people to wear face coverings in public. Some people may feel a little bit ill or tired but not enough to know they have the virus.

"When we actually go back and say, 'How many of them were truly asymptomatic?' we find out that many have really mild disease, very mild disease," Van Kerkhove said.

While WHO recognizes that some people infected with COVID-19 will never develop symptoms, and evidence suggests they can shed virus too, Van Kerkhove said this is not how most people are getting sick.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/0 ... /24516388/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Xeonus]

"Covid can be airborne, US CDC guidelines now say"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54435240

Not looking good for indoor work if Covid-19 is not only spread by projectile droplets (sneezing, coughing, speech) and surfaces, but it is ALSO spread by particles of covid-19 floating in the air for multiple hours too!

I would like to see more medical bodies announcing this information rather than just one which is currently the US CDC at the moment. Makes me wonder if stopping the latest Van sharing news and requiring space indoors, will be successful when referencing this BBC article

[joewyan]

In its recent updated guidance on mask wearing, WHO said studies of asymptomatic transmission to date are small but that virus spread via fomites (objects and surfaces) in those cases cannot be ruled out.

Furthermore, Van Kerkhove said, many cases that are labeled asymptomatic may not truly be that, but instead are mild — but detectable — illnesses.

This is why it may still be important for seemingly healthy people to wear face coverings in public. Some people may feel a little bit ill or tired but not enough to know they have the virus.

"When we actually go back and say, 'How many of them were truly asymptomatic?' we find out that many have really mild disease, very mild disease," Van Kerkhove said.

While WHO recognizes that some people infected with COVID-19 will never develop symptoms, and evidence suggests they can shed virus too, Van Kerkhove said this is not how most people are getting sick.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/0 ... /24516388/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And of course the WHO has always been a reliable source of information if we remember back to January/February when they said it was not going to spread and believed everything that the Chinese government told them.