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Just wondering about this and what the various industries are pushing
Are you wearing a face covering permanently at work or only at certain times.
Cheers
Steve.
Pretty much all the time & have been doing since March.
If you have an office with a door or in a toilet cubical not required.
But we did an assessment on all areas at work and each door has a Max No of people at any time and all must wear masks, surgical in offices & lab all production areas N95
Yes when not able to socially distance, moving around premises and a few other reasons.
We're not working from the office.
If anyone has to go in they wear a mask at all times in a building.
Drac
Full MemberYes when not able to socially distance, moving around premises and a few other reasons.
Do you have any rules on distance as we had 2 lads given written warnings because they were in the same room as each other, 15 meters apart!!
My wife is back in the office 1-2 days a week and has to wear a mask other than when at sat her desk.
Rooms have been given a maximum occupancy too.
Looks like I'll still be working from home until at least the summer
Do you have any rules on distance as we had 2 lads given written warnings because they were in the same room as each other, 15 meters apart!!
Under 2m you must where a mask.
When in the office - not been in since March - we now have to be masked at all times.
MrsMC has to wear a mask when visiting clients (social worker)
Eldest is at college, they are masked at all times when indoors.
Yes. When not at desks.
Yes, unless sat at desk or eating in the canteen.
Yes have been since March, screens up round desks, reduced occupancy and 1 way corridors/doors
Drac
Full Member
Under 2m you must wear a mask.
I thought it was a bit harsh given its about 30x20 meters with a 8m ceiling and a brutal exhaust drawing from the room 1/4km2 an hour.
Having said this the manager in question is a knob and has his own private stash of PPE but micro manages everyone else's kit?
Yes, unless sat at desk or eating in the canteen.
Same, with provision to take it off in hot areas if it's safe to do so.
not at desk/work station but when moving around the building.
Lateral flow testing twice a week for workers in 4 of more days a week, once a week for 3 or less coming in 8-10 days
building occupancy kept at a minimum. The department can't work from home with the exception of scheduler's and management
That said i'm out on the road 90% of the time and mainly outdoors.
Work in a shop I have mine on 8.30am - 5pm
7.5 hours a day since April, we were also on split shifts to reduce the amount of people there, that reverted to everyone in when the first lockdown finished. Suspect we'll be going back to that soon
About 50% at work in delivery office, weak management does not enforce in cramped conditions , I start late so most of the office has left by the time I start I use a buff . Most van shares have finished we have at least 10 people off in an office of 60 off due to various sickness/covid. Managers don't seem to put 2 and 2 together
Interesting comments so far thanks.
I am having a right dick dance at work.
We have a risk assessment that I wrote saying to maintain 2m distancing and if you can't, wear a mask.
Production manager who has a little H&S experience has spoke with his son who works in the aerospace industry and they are wearing them permanently.
So now he is trying to push it at our workplace. Despite him not managing his own staff when they don't maintain social distancing.
Current guidelines say coverings should replace any existing control measures and as such aren't required in certain industries like factories.
Weekly testing regime, masks worn when moving around a very distanced office
But I've not returned back this year, no need to
That does sound harsh but depends on what your operating procedures say. I'd have thought a verbal reminder appropriate if it was a first instance.
At ours we wear face coverings in all communal areas including labs, all offices are now single occupancy, no corridor chats, etc. Of course there are some exceptions like our big open plan sales area which is still multiple occupancy (maybe 1/4 desks used and big posted reminders to maintain SD) - not that sales are in, these are now overspill areas where lab staff offices are now single occupancy.
I'm totally impressed and on board with how our management and CV crisis team have kept on top of this, I feel very safe when in the office. Helps too that it's a science business I think, far fewer CV deniers and a good understanding of the balance of risks versus individual freedoms, so adherence to policies is excellent.
We are wearing masks, socially distancing.
Interestingly we received a snap visit from the HSE on Wednesday to check our processes
No, but we're in the woods, two tree lengths apart to avoid being squashed.
Yes, unless sat at desk or eating in the canteen.
This. Loads of space in my office, as soon as I stand up to leave desk it's on though, only take it off at canteen.
We are in fancy engineering test labs so similar to an aerospace setting (very high roof, people well spread out).
Face masks when moving around until in your normal work area. Then masks again when working around others.
Handily we already have a 1 metre grid in the floor for bolting things down, so very easy to check social distancing. Even so, human beings seem to naturally drift closer without realising - I'd say without the grid as reference, what people think of as 2m is often 1 to 1.5m max.
Only when outdoors or in open spaces....its funny cause its true!!
Production manager who has a little H&S experience has spoke with his son who works in the aerospace industry and they are wearing them permanently.
So now he is trying to push it at our workplace. Despite him not managing his own staff when they don’t maintain social distancing.
Forgetting his choice to enforce or not, that doesn't sound unreasonable, I work in a power station for context and there are some proper hot areas I need to walk around but still manage fine. I'm also not aware of any work related outbreaks on site despite having people travel from multiple local authorities, make of that what you will.
It's also law up here which helps the case for enforcement.
Yes, have been since March with the exception of single occupancy offices. Prior to November masks were mandatory inside all buildings but since November it's mandatory to wear a mask anywhere on site.
Thankfully not. Spread over various offices and labs in the building there's about 30 of us working near central Bradford. Social distancing has diminished as it's gone on but we're not exactly back to normal. With all this we've had no positive tests and much reduced general sickness.
In our own offices then no, but in communal areas or with colleagues then yes. But many of our staff are working from home.
Currently working in fields building a solar farm and have a H&S Hitler wandering round shouting at people to wear them or they will be kicked off site. My workers are 6 Latvians who drive for 30hrs in a van together to get to the UK, live in apartments together and work together. They aren't going to give it to each other in a field
Yes, have been since March with the exception of single occupancy offices.
Same here.
The only people that need reminded are contractors and some delivery drivers,but they probably read on the internet that Covid is no big deal and just a wee bit worse than a cold.
Was only required when moving between separate work zones, but since Xmas it's masks required if unable to maintain 2m distancing. I'm amazed by how many only pay lip service to it including management. So it came as no surprise coming back this year and half of middle management have contacted it. That'll learn them.
Yes in public areas, no when in our office itself: there's 4 of us in an office that previously seated 40.
Yes - all the time bar when we are eating - but then I am a nurse.
Local authority passenger transport driver here, we transport disabled children & those with SEN's. Drivers have to wear a mask at all times & any passenger assistants must wear a mask, visor, gloves & a plastic apron whilst on the bus or moving the children. What use the aprons are is anyone's guess. There's only 2 people work in our office & they wear masks, staff in general aren't allowed to congregate in the office or the area outside.
@ a_a I've been wearing one in class since the off. One of TA staff got threatened with disciplinary for wearing in class. Four of department caught covid from asymptomatic germbags
Children
Everybody wearing mask now 🙂
- but not the 'social distanced' <sic> children
When in the office masks are required when moving away from your desk/workstation. No mask required in the mess room. All rooms are marked with maximum occupancy and 2m distancing is maintained at all times. We have a specific Risk Assessment for close working. Out on site (power stations) the rules are pretty similar. Some sites require us contractors to have a LAMB test before they let us on but the site staff are only tested if they show symptoms. Our management are considering routine tests for us. Feel pretty safe.
Masks warn at all times.
Unless in office alone.
PCR testing minimum weekly.
Laterally flow tests as soon as anyone has a sniffle followed by PCR.
Only when with clients and indoors.
Not worn In the office, which is on a rota system so in 2 days a week. Office was too big for our needs to begin with.
Nobody in the office has had it (symptomatically or test proven at least)
One of the part time admin ladies has had to self isolate twice due to school age child.
Not at the desk, but a requirement when moving around. Thankfully don't have to go on site much.
At all times except for when eating/in the bait room, which has a maximum capacity and very well spaced out.
Bonus of wearing a mask is no need for a snood so I get to be lazy and have a (shit) beard.
We're over and above government recommendations regarding being Covid secure. Masks at all time except when eating or drinking. If someone is on the same floor as me, mask on regardless of where they are on the floor. Meeting rooms that normally seat 30+ have a maximum occupancy of 6. No one can use the room after you until it's been cleaned. On Thursday, the guy on reception was pointing two IR thermometers at your head before you're allowed beyond reception. One at your forehead, one at your temple. - he sits behind a floor to ceiling perspex screen, with a mask, face shield, gloves and gauntlets on. And points them through a 5" diameter hole.
Isolation is 10 days if you're positive, if anyone in your house is positive it's 10 days, plus a further 14 days isolation. Two negative tests required before you're allowed back on site.
Some people think it's just a bit over the top.
I'm in France. Mask worn in the office at all times, as well as when you're out & about in the city centre. So, I'm wearing one from when I leave the house, while commuting (60min round trip walk) and all day at work.
The 6pm to 6am curfew is also somewhat restrictive.
Yes all the time unless eating and drinking. Coffee consumption has increased dramatically
We have a lot of office space and massive air changes so no need at my desk.
In the labs we have face shields to keep it consistent with the high containment labs (nothing absorbent is allowed out).
No.
Not been in since before Xmas. Now WfH.
Before that we were working on a rota. 2 or 3 in an office designed for 16.
Everyone is cautious so any hint of exposure and its easy to stay away for 2 weeks even if not isolating.
We've had a few people flying to Europe weekly from July to December.
Must be harder in a bigger company. It's also not just the risk of people getting covid and being ill. A positive test and a large number of staff having to isolate could be a major problem I'd guess. So worth being ultra cautious beyond government guidelines.
Yes mask and gloves at all times except when eating.
The production manager has spoke to his son who works in a different industry and they are wearing masks permanently so because of that he is trying to push it in our setting.
Currently the gov guidance doesn't recommend wearing face coverings over other control measures like social distancing for our industry.
He doesn't manage or police the social distancing on the shop floor as it is so currently I disagree with him that we need to do it.
There has been no communication with the union so if the production manager and site manger go above me and use it as across the site they will ruin the already delicate relationship with the shop floor guys.
Seems a bit of a sledge hammer approach.
Question for the full timers - was at a client site the other day and following their rules wore a mask even when outside. A moist zero degrees with a biting wind, my mask ended up condensated around the nose and mouth.
Blue surgical type one, it was soaking to the point of being translucent.
I feel like this has made it less useful so swapped to a fabric one in my car as soon as I could; this was better but still not perfect.
Never had this issue indoors.
Sorry - my actual question is are there types of mask that are better than the surgical type for this application.
Is a face shield not an option?
A face shield is not recommended to replace a face covering as it doesn't offer adequate protection to any droplets that come from your nose or mouth.
Not wearing a mask or gloves for day to day activities but if we have visitors on site we are expected to wear masking as well as then. Do have a heat monitor everyone as to walk past. We are on a site with 30 max workers and do try and keep a bit of distance between the different departments. Most of us are limiting contact with outside of the company/friends instead.
Yeah
But a colleague has tested positive so our bubble has to isolate for 10days, hopefully lateral flow is wrong & pcr will say no
She was vaccinated last week too
At my works masks must be worn by all staff and visitors at all times when on site, inside or out. Unless you're senior management where you can ignore the signs and not bother when in your own office. I recently declined a meeting with my manager in his office after he went to put his mask on as I entered and I pointed out that he needn't have bothered as the room was probably already contaminated.
All office staff (except a number of managers who attend on a rota) have worked from home since March. Production staff are on split shifts so there is never more than 5 on the shop floor at any one time.
Most production staff have complied without complaint since day one, apart from one bloke who's eyes apparently don't work if his nose is covered because he pulls his mask down every time he uses a PC...
Yes, type 2 at all times and changed throughout the day, not allowed into building with out one, cannot wear your own must be a company provided one and disciplinary if rules not followed. No cases reported in work to date (touch wood).
It was a bit of a pain at first, but with everything as it is why would you not wear one is my attitude now. Social distancing is enforced but there are times you walk past colleagues (stairs, lockers, bathrooms etc) so safer if everyone just wears one. Also helps minimize ‘close contact’ issue if anyone is a carrier.
Little bit different here as I work on a remote site in Kazakhstan. We do not wear face masks but we have put other actions in place, all the local employees used to work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, they have all changed to 8/8, the expat rosters have changed from 6/3 to 10/5. Everyone needs a PCR within 72 hours of arrival to site and then we are quarantined for 2 weeks with PCR tests on days 2, 6 and 12. There is a zero tolerance policy for breaking the quarantine rules with instance dismissal the penalty. As a site we have been covid free the whole time.
Question for the full timers – was at a client site the other day and following their rules wore a mask even when outside. A moist zero degrees with a biting wind, my mask ended up condensated around the nose and mouth.
Blue surgical type one, it was soaking to the point of being translucent.
I feel like this has made it less useful so swapped to a fabric one in my car as soon as I could; this was better but still not perfect.
Never had this issue indoors.
Yup, infinitely worse with a beard too, it drips out the bottom as it's not even warmed by your skin.
Solution is a buff to show willing when working outside alone (it's still wet but you can make it work for a few hours), nothing when walking and a big box of disposables for working around others or inside shelter.
Surgical masks, gloves, aprons and face shield or goggles. Made for an interesting shift last Sunday 8-8 drifted to 8-10 and very busy. My ears were sore and I didn’t drink enough but otherwise fine.
Trying to minimise any cross spread ding within the teams.
I'm also a postie, busy Delivery Office in an urban hot zone, 125+ people milling round in an unventilated space before dispersing out into the community. Until last week mask enforcement was a joke, but nobody has been properly sick (not many obese nonagenarian posties IME). The managers are running scared, knowing the whole system will grind to a halt if they start taking things like contact tracing and asymptomatic testing seriously. Scandalous, but I'm interested to see how long they can keep the plates spinning. Get your internet shopping in quick, deliveries are going to start getting patchy in the coming weeks.
Nope. Primary school TA. Given option but until Xmas it was "not encouraged". All visitors must including the vey few parents who come on site.
Sorry – my actual question is are there types of mask that are better than the surgical type for this application
As far as I'm aware (completely unqualified to comment) the square surgical masks are only meant to provide protection against direct contact with droplets/spray/blood as they do not seal around the face (especially as very few people pinch the nose bridge strip so it fits around the nose)
Proper dust masks that you would use for dusty work are much more effective at getting an airtight fit and offer higher protection.
I normally wear a fabric mask, had to work on a hospital rooftop recently and was going to wear a surgical mask under my fabric one, but managed to find a proper dust mask in the end which I was very happy about as the roof has various extraction fans venting out, the only one labelled said operating theatre but presumably all the wards have air extraction too.
Regarding work place risk assessments... Am I right in thinking part of it is number of people permitted per square meter in the building? I was working in a McDonalds who appear to be operating at full capacity and they are crammed into the kitchen with no distancing that I noticed, there are screens but they just seem to reduce floor space further. The restaurant was full of staff wellbeing areas, I know their rest room is only one person at a time, so are these areas for lunch breaks, or a sneaky way of increasing the square metres available for staff so they can have more people onsite (and squeeze them into the kitchen?)
Just like other postie replies I've read, very mixed compliance in the depot and far less obvious intervention by managers regarding masks and social distancing compared to last March. It helped when we were more evenly split between staggered shift starts/finishes but by autumn, far more were asked to do the "early" shift due to the parcel volumes, which resulted in far greater chance of colleagues regularly getting too close.
@renton Any union worth their salt has a responsibility for it's members safety, it's a huge part of union duties. If my union rep fought a layer of protection designed to protect me and my fellow workers, I'd be wanting to know why.
I work in a pharma plant that is heavily unionised, rightly there wasn't a peep out of the unions when face covering rules were brought in a few months back.
It also sounds as if your guys aren't distancing, which strengthens the need for this further player.
@renton - I work in the aerospace industry and the policy is for distancing not mask wearing. We’ve reduced maximum seated capacity to 1/4 of what it was, so no person is seated with 4m of another person. Same holds true for meeting rooms, etc. One way systems, hand sanitisers, desk tidy policy, cleaning surfaces before and after use, etc.
This is all office work obviously, for production, they have masks.
We have all of that Daffy, and face coverings too too. Only time I can take my face covering off is at my desk or eating in canteen.
I welcomed it, after months of wearing one in supermarkets etc, it felt wrong not wearing one inside work.
Yes, at all times, and I work outdoors in football/sports stadiums. Touch wood we've had only a handful of cases and of those, most in the last few weeks and all the infections seem to come from home and aren't pasted on in the work place. The only time you can take your mask off is in your own car which is deemed your safe place to take breaks.
Scottish bioscience institute research labs here.
Mask at all times, no exceptions, even if you are on your own or outside. If you can't/won't wear one you aren't allowed on site. Personal checklist, including temp, to complete each day. Only lab work to be done, all office work to be done from home. One way systems, sanitiser, room occupancy restriction, etc. No face to face meetings (do online).
I'd say that this isn't onerous in the circumstances and probably the minimum necessary to remain open in the near future.
I work for a cable TV and telecoms provider. The site I frequent the most has permanent receptionist and they run a tight ship.
Masks to be worn at all times within the building, unless you are sat at a desk.
Which need to be booked in advance, token system in operation so they can be cleaned after use.
Canteen area has had all seats and tables removed.
We are encouraged to wipe surfaces down after we have used microwave, kettle, etc.
Hands have to be sanitised before entering the building, hand gel available at internal doors as well.
One way system, maximum occupancy in rooms.
Go to some of the other sites and there is very little evidence of the above measures other than the face coverings rule.
My site union rep is an absolute arsehole. I can't put it any simpler than that.
He fights against everything safety wise that I try and implement including a lot of the covid control measures I have put in place. The site is like stepping back in time to the 70's to be honest and is falling to bits.
Moving onto the production manager: he is bothered about everything other than production. The shop floor hate him and have no respect for him.
He has the site manager in his back pocket and as he has worked at places like Caterpillar the site manager thinks the sun shines out of his arse.
If they try and implement this behind my back and without consulting the union rep then it's going to ruin all the hard work I've been doing trying to get the shop floor on side.
The other problem is is who is going to police it? He hasn't managed and policed the social distancing so why would this be any different.
Please don't think for one minute I'm against it as that isn't the case. I just want to make sure it's done properly if we do it.
You have my sympathies, experienced union guys like that when I worked at GE - unionisation was a new thing, and thy were giddy with power. Fortunately where I am now has had a strong union presence for years and in general they are fairly easy to work with, good guys.
The union rep has to be involved, how you go about doing that is your (amd the PM's) call, but it has to be done. I'd say now, and the massive problems England is facing with rapidly rising case numbers, it shouldn't be too hard to implement.
Policing isn't too hard, really, I'm sure you must have a disciplinary system, warnings etc that you can cite.
@Renton, sorry to say but reading your replies it does sound like you are against it because you don't like the union rep or managers and it was not your suggestion.
Masks will help. It may take time to get compliance but you need to start somewhere. Ignore your personal feelings about the union rep/managers. The workplace are trying to bring in something to help you and your colleagues keep safe, should this not be embraced? Policing it is not 1 mans job, everyone has a responsibility to health and safety in the work place. Try working with it and see how it goes before pushing back, what are the issues about wearing masks and how can these be resolved so there is compliance? It will never work if you never try to make it work. Even if it fails some people in masks is surely better than none?
I'm actually not against it one bit.
We have 3 other sites in the UK and none of them are making it mandatory.
Currently in accordance with the UK gov directive it is not a legal requirement to wear a face covering in a factory. It is in a storage/distribution setting and as such our warehouse guys are wearing them.
It's nothing to do with who I like etc. I get on with both the pm and the union rep. The production manager and site manager are trying to enforce it without consulting the union and then expect me to police and manage it. Then when it all goes wrong they abstain from all responsibility.
Currently the leadership cannot manage the wearing of seatbelts or safety glasses on site so I'm not sure how the intend to manage this.
There has been no discussion on what type of safe coverings, how often to change them, what the consequences will be if caught not wearing it etc.
Currently in accordance with the UK gov directive...
That's an English directive, not sure about Wales but in Scotland it's legally mandated to wear one unless the wearing itself presents a risk:
Mandatory face coverings
You must by law wear a face covering in certain indoor places:
hospitality premises such as bars, pubs and cafes and restaurants, and canteens (including workplace canteens).
indoors in communal areas in workplaces, where people mingle or gather to, for example, socialise or transit such as passageways, stairs, lifts, staff rooms, training rooms, changing rooms and entrances.
Some people are not required to wear a face covering.
These include:
employees undertaking tasks in the course of their employment, where the wearing of a face covering would cause material risk of harm, for example, on the factory floor due to production requirements. Employees should follow existing sector guidance on appropriate controls for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in these settings.
We were told last week that masks now have to be worn at all times, indoors and out, the latter is difficult to understand, because we’re outdoors most of the time, in completely open air, except when we’re driving or moving a vehicle. For anyone who wears glasses, it’s pita, trying to see through almost opaque lenses.
I’ve got a full-face clear plastic mask, which I use in town, but it gets in the way if having to search inside the car for missing items, and I’ve also got a plastic mask with HEPA filters, which gets a bit much for over eight hours, and is still difficult to stop my glasses fogging up, making the mask stay in exactly the same place while moving around a lot gets a bit of an issue.
I’ve seen some plastic masks that you wear like glasses, like my full-face Blocc mask, but cover from the nose down to the chin, and a pair cost less than a fiver, so I’m going to try those, to see how well they work.
Have you got a link to the plastic face covering please mate.
Working in aircraft components manufacturing and we currently have to wear a mask at all times indoors without fail.
Initially there was no requirement until June, which was when more people started going back after a couple months on furlough. At that point it was only office staff.
Anybody who has to work closely originally had to wear gloves/goggles/disposable suit aswell apparently, which of course never happened and was never even attempted to be enforced.
At my works masks must be worn by all staff and visitors at all times when on site, inside or out. Unless you’re senior management where you can ignore the signs and not bother when in your own office. I recently declined a meeting with my manager in his office after he went to put his mask on as I entered and I pointed out that he needn’t have bothered as the room was probably already contaminated.
Just spotted this one.
Why do you think his wearing a mask or not before you entered made the slightest difference? If the room is ventilated it's fine, otherwise a mask makes no difference.
I pretty much exclusively wfh but I have visited a few different sites. Not that much mask wearing. They are mostly huge and empty buildings. Occasionally have to go into smaller rooms where masks are worn. I'm happier in the big spaces without masks than the small spaces with.