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Dave Joyce, National Health, Safety & Environment Officer reports: These are the basic facts of the first case of a Royal Mail employee and CWU Mmember becoming unwell at work and subsequently testing positive for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) infection in order to deal with the unhelpful misinformation and rumour appearing on social media.
The case involves a Royal Mail Postman/OPG and CWU member employed at the Manchester South West Delivery Office, who recently returned from holiday in Italy, without any immediate symptoms. However, on returning to work became ill after a single day back at work and after showing the symptoms of the virus contacted NHS 111 and was tested which resulted in a positive result after which he went off work and into self-quarantine and is following medical advice and treatment. It is also worth adding that scientific experts conclude that this virus does not survive long outside of a host person or animal and estimate that it can survive on hard and soft surfaces no more than a few hours to a day at most approximately. Royal Mail Group's Head of Health has been working in conjunction with and under the advice of Public Health England who have confirmed their satisfaction that the Delivery Office building poses no risk of infection to the workforce and that it can operate normally. Transmission of the virus is airborne which means it's spread in a similar way to colds and flu to other persons, normally via close personal contact with infected individuals through coughing and sneezing small fine droplets which are breathed in by others and they can become infected. At the request of the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department, it has been agreed that a professional medically qualified clinician will brief the Manchester SWDO workforce to provide the necessary assurances and to answer any questions. The Joint Statement issued by CWU & Royal Mail which can be downloaded as part of the LTB, firstly commits Royal Mail Group to joint working with the CWU in line with the advice and guidance of the WHO, UK CMO, Department of Health, PHE and NHS in order to plan ahead to take appropriate action. It covers agreed arrangements for deep cleaning and disinfecting of offices where necessary as per PHE guidelines. Even further, it covers Royal Mail and CWU joint support for promoting regular handwashing and the use of gloves and alcohol disinfectant wipes for shared equipment and the joint promotion of good respiratory hygiene in the workplace. Importantly it commits Royal Mail Group to adopt a supportive approach to self-isolation in relation to, pay, absence policy and fit note provision. At the time of publishing this report, it is not known whether or not the same notification system from CWU T&FS members employers, BT, EE, and Openreach exists. You can read the full LTB 111/2020 and the associated attachment in the form of a joint statement from the CWU and Royal Mail, by downloading it from the Unionsafety E-Library by selecting search category ‘CWU LTBs (Health & Safety)’ Source: CWU LTB111/20
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Following immediate notification direct by Royal Mail the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department was immediately informed by the Business and has been in consultation with Royal Mail HQ and working with the local CWU Area Health and Safety Rep and CWU Divisional IR Rep.