COVID-19 branch health & safety update

Latest H&S update for Home Office Merseyside Branch members

PCS H&S Merseyside continues to work alongside the employer in trying to deliver a safe working environment for staff.

It’s important to state that PCS believe staff should only be expected to attend the office to carry out essential work that cannot be completed at home. But unfortunately the government thinks differently so we must work within those boundaries.

Staff occupancy across the Home Office Merseyside estate is now around 20% so it’s important the environment is as safe as is reasonably practical. Recently PCS Health & Safety have been working alongside the employer and official H&S with staff safety being a priority.

Guidance around communal areas in all buildings, such as the kitchen/breakout areas, has been agreed. After some discussion and dispute management settled on restricting the kitchen area to just preparing food and drink. There was concern from management that some staff may not be happy about removing the option of eating in the kitchen area but this is not about staff being happy, it’s about safety. PCS H&S expressed concerns about allowing multiple staff to eat at a table that may not be cleaned between usage. It also conflicted with the guidance being used for workstations.

Local guidance has been completed around what should happen if a member of staff has suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 and has been in the office. This is in addition to the “Track & Trace” public guidance. At the time of writing we are waiting for the local guidance to be issued.

Recently an applicant attended an appointment and when asked if he was OK he stated that he wasn't. This obviously caused some alarm. Safe systems and control measures were implemented to control the risk but it emphasised a very real new risk and highlighted that the current control measures can be improved upon. PCS H&S have recommended that risk assessments be carried out by all the different teams who work in the public/reporting area in addition to the Security Risk assessment that had previously been completed.

Management have reviewed the incident and arranged for all teams within that area to meet and work with each other to ensure a consistent approach is being used across the different teams.

PCS H&S Merseyside will continue to work alongside the employer with the intention ensuring a safe working environment.