We predicted an explosion in workplace outbreaks, as workers were forced back to work – two weeks later that is exactly what we’ve got

Hazards campaign news release, 20th August 2020 (No embargo)

The workplace is emerging as the new frontline for Covid-19 spread, after the UK government and health agencies ignored warnings on the dangers of a rush back to work, occupational health experts have warned.

Janet Newsham, the chair of the national Hazards Campaign says: ‘We’ve got an unprecedented abdication of responsibility by HSE, which has never before eschewed its enforcement responsibility this way, or denied oversight to protect workers in workplaces where deadly disease risks, carcinogens and major accident hazards can be encountered. They have been AWOL throughout the pandemic and as a result workers have died and many more have been left with long term serious ill health’.

The Hazards Campaign has raised concerns about the unsafe opening of workplaces, including schools. ‘While the community transmission is so high reopening of schools will massively increase contacts between potentially infected individuals and will lead to pressure for more people to return to workplaces, greatly increasing risks.’

Over the last four weeks, Public Health England (PHE) figures (1) show the ‘workplace’ has emerged as the second most common site of Covid-19 ‘situations/incidents’, trailing only care homes. PHE’s definition of workplaces does not include work-related Covid incidents in hospitals, schools or prisons, so under-estimates the real extent of occupationally-related cases.

Evidence elsewhere, including France (2) and Germany (3), show workplaces are the new frontline for virus spread. Without adequate protection, rights and oversight, we are going to give the pandemic a whole new lease of life and the economy will continue to be decimated. A recent report ‘COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks in occupational settings in the EU/EEA and the UK’ published on the 11th August, 2020 details some of the occupational outbreaks across Europe. (3)

The Hazards Campaign has been tracking workplace outbreaks and its dossier shows food production remains a major hotspot for outbreaks, but there is a clear indication that the problem is wider, with multiple clusters also occurring in factories, schools, hospitality and other sectors.

At the start of the outbreak we were promised a ‘Covid-Secure’ return to work. What we have got instead is government-driven stampede back into workplaces, without the necessary oversight or support for workers or for businesses. The Government are forcing children back into unsafe schools, so that parents can return to unsafe workplaces and the chaotic and irresponsible opening of pubs, clubs and gyms during a high transmission of a potentially fatal disease is madness. The Government must also ensure that all workers are able to access statutory sick pay and there is an extension of the furlough programme to restrict the transmission of the virus (4).

The Covid-19 workplace clusters that are now appearing all over the country, are being put down to individuals breaking the rules, but when that coincides with workplaces closing down, mass testing of workers and mass positive results of the same workers, then this is uncontrolled transmission of the virus in workplaces, especially where workers are working inside buildings with an aerosol risk of transmission. (5)

If our society is to open schools then the transmission must be low, and track, trace and isolate must be fully functioning at a high level of contact and all the risks in that workplace must be controlled at a precautionary level. The enforcement authorities must act now to ensure that employers can demonstrate that they are carrying out their health and safety legal duties. This cant be based on ‘suck it and see’, or on the body bags that pile up, where risks are not controlled. It has to be right first time, and it has to include the full control of all the known risks.

There is a lot more evidence to show the extent of transmission of the virus on surfaces, and by aerosols. (6) This means new ways of working, new facilities and more resources to keep work safe. It means working from home as far as possible, not using public transport unless essential, it means remote teaching and learning, it means utilising new and existing premises to spread people out, it means shift working and shift management, it means controlling and increasing ventilation, it means less people at a time in workplaces, it may mean more people working less hours or different hours and it means working with trade unions and safety representatives to identify and control all the risks.

We need a community, collective and carefully controlled response to stopping the transmission of the virus, so that we can eventually reduce the controls necessary, return to normal working and hopefully a vaccination is found.

Notes to editors

1. PHE Weekly Report, Week 33, released 14 August 2020
2. Workplaces – not parties – ‘the biggest source of coronavirus contagion in France’ The Local FR,  3rd August 2020
3. COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks in occupational settings in the EU/EEA and the UK, 11 August 2020,  European Centre for Diseases and Protection
4. Economic Aspects of the COVID-19 Crisis in the UK, The DELVE Initiative, 14 August 2020.
5. Recognizing and controlling airborne transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 in indoor environments, Joseph G. Allen and Linsey C. Marr, Indoor Air, 19 June 2020.
6. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE: Is two metres too far or not far enough to protect from COVID-19 and who benefits and who loses if it is reduced ? Hazards Campaign, 22nd June 2020

Further information

• Hazards Campaign coronavirus hub
• We go back to work safely or not at all Hazards Campaign news release, 6 May 2020
• Covid19 in the UK and occupational health and safety. Predictable but not inevitable failures what can we do now: Professor Andrew Watterson, University of Stirling, April 2020
• Exposed, Hazards Magazine, Issue 149
•  Hazards Campaign: Briefings, statements on CV19
• Hazards Campaign Twitter: @hazardscampaign
• Hazards Campaign Facebook: We didn’t vote to die at work
• Hazards Campaign email: info@hazardscampaign.org.uk

Media enquiries

Janet Newsham
Tel: 07734 317 158

 

Hazards campaign news release, 11 August 2020 (No embargo)

A series of studies, including two in recent days from UK experts, discredit claims by education secretary Gavin Williamson that there is ‘little evidence’ of a Covid-19 transmission risk in schools, workplace safety advocates have warned.

The safe-to-return claim by Gavin Williamson is patently untrue and could drive an upturn in Covid-19 cases.

“The safe-to-return claim by Gavin Williamson is patently untrue and could drive an upturn in Covid-19 cases,” said Janet Newsham, the chair of the national Hazards Campaign. “The education secretary is either ignorant of or choosing to ignore considerable evidence of outbreak risks in schools.  He is also failing to acknowledge the detrimental consequences of a ‘stop-start’ disruption to schooling and the economy as local flare-ups continue.”

The campaigners point to a study¹ published on 24 July that concluded there is “evidence of robust spread of SARS-CoV-2 in high schools, and more limited spread in primary schools. Some countries with relatively large class sizes in primary schools (eg. Chile and Israel) reported sizeable outbreaks in some of those schools.” The paper, co-authored by Muge Cevik from the NHS Lothian Infection Service and the University of St Andrews, noted “these reports suggest that classroom crowding and other factors related to social distancing in classrooms/schools may play a role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in primary schools. Those findings should have implications for school openings in different age groups of children, and they suggest the need to better protect adults over the age of 60 during the community spread of SARS-CoV-2.”

A second study² published on 3 August by scientists from University College London (UCL) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found current testing and contact tracing levels are not sufficient to prevent a second wave of coronavirus after schools reopen. The researchers, who found the track-trace-isolate system was not up to the task, warned: “Without sufficient coverage of a test-trace-isolate strategy the UK risks a serious second epidemic peak either in December or February.”

The Hazards Campaign is also concerned the move will coincide with a relaxation of lockdown rules and government pressure for a reduction in working from home. “The government is failing to take adequate account of a simultaneous wider return to work, which our tracking of UK workplace clusters indicates could be the focus for increasing local outbreaks in offices, factories and other workplaces,” Newsham said. “We have the double jeopardy of return to schools without the essential trace-trace-isolate system in place and a return to work with oversight by workplace safety regulators at a virtual standstill.”

Newsham concluded: “Education in the UK is being damaged by neglected and dangerous infrastructure, poorly resourced classrooms and education staff stressed-out through understaffing and overwork,” said Newsham. “Crowding kids back into these schools is a unnecessary gamble and could be counterproductive, setting back Covid-19 prevent efforts and lead to further shutdowns.”

Latest Public Health England figures³ show workplace cases are an increasing proportion of overall Covid-19 infections and the great majority of cases are in working age people.

Notes to editors

Hazards Campaign coronavirus hub: www.hazards.org/coronavirus

1. Edward Goldstein, Marc Lipsitch, Muge Cevik, On the effect of age on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in households, schools and the community, medRxiv preprint, 24 July 2020. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.19.20157362
2. Jasmina Panovska-Griffiths and others, Determining the optimal strategy for reopening schools, the impact of test and trace interventions, and the risk of occurrence of a second COVID-19 epidemic wave in the UK: a modelling study, Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, Online first 3 August 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30250-9.
3. Weekly Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Surveillance Report, Week 32, PHE, 7 August 2020

Hazards Campaign calls for  the UK government to adopt immediately a zero-Covid19 policy with prevention of work-related infection and transmission a priority – or the resignation of the Prime Minster

Press Statement For Immediate Release 31/7/20

Hazards Campaign demands the Government implements a policy of zero Covid-19 transmission to drive down infection rate, save health and lives and ends it’s knee jerk reactionary responses to the transmission which blames individuals rather than its own incompetence.

The Government has created a chaotic and irrational response to the continuing transmission of the virus, ignoring work as a major site of infection and transmission, which will inevitably lead to deaths and more people left with debilitating health conditions. It will also prevent any return to normal life.

Last night’s 11th hour announcement in Greater Manchester, parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire, for a partial return to lock-down is causing community mistrust and anger as it comes just a few hours before Eid and affects many Asian communities. It shows panic and lack of consultation and planning, and will lead to confusion about the rules and mistrust of following them.

The government lockdown came too late, and eased restrictions too early in a race to return to work when it had not met even its own five tests, let alone Hazards Campaign and teaching union more stringent requirements. Government failures on test, track and trace left local councils and public health authorities without sufficient information such as where people work. It has deprived them of the tools needed to stop outbreaks fast and to communicate concerns with their communities about the continuing track to returning to restricted living.

For Government policies to work, they have to have the trust and confidence of the population but this Government has failed to gain that support. In fact through actions like the ‘Cummingsgate’ saga, they have destroyed and sabotaged the support they need to protect lives. Stupid announcements that accuse ordinary people of failings while at the same time exonerating officials and ministers who fail to act in accordance with their own laws, is putting the return to work and lives at great risk .

The UK and in particular England has one of the worst death and transmission statistics in the world. This isn’t because we are unlucky but because the Government has failed to act, failed to protect and failed in its job to put the health of its people before profits. Workers health is public health. The Government failed to prevent transmission and spread of Covid-19 at work. By not providing good information, support and enforcement action for workers it is creating environments for the virus to spread at work, amongst workers’ families and into the whole community. This is nothing less than ‘social murder’.

The Hazards Campaign calls for Government to immediately adopt a zero-Covid19 policy with prevention of work-related infection and transmission a priority or the resignation of the Prime Minister if he refuses to do this. We call for financial resources and support to involve workers, their unions, health and safety authorities and local public health in stamping out the pandemic at work.

Janet Newsham, Chair of Hazards Campaign said:

“We are calling for the resignation of the PM because he has lost the trust and confidence of the population and with that the ability to drive the virus out of our country which is essential for the future mental and physical health of its people”

‘The North of England is in chaos, following closely behind the Leicester saga and hundreds of workplace outbreaks across the country since the unplanned chaotic return to work started. People are angry that pubs and restaurants will stay open when visits to family are stopped. It makes no sense and will not protect and save people’s lives, nor will it regenerate the economy, it will only extend the misery that this Government has inflicted on its people.’

‘Much of the current mess is because of failed enforcement in workplaces, failed lock-downs and controls of the risks, none of which has been mentioned but the Government chooses to blame individuals and not their own incompetence.’

For more information, press only
Contact: Janet Newsham
Email: janet@gmhazards.org.uk
Tel: 07734317158

In a newly published commentary, safety experts conclude the arguments for a blanket reduction of the two metres social distancing guidance do not stack up.

“The arguments for a blanket reduction of 2m in the UK economy do not stack up. A limited but growing body of scientific evidence, based on a better understanding of particle physics and aerosols and supplemented by case studies of very recent clusters, continues to support a precautionary approach to 2m and its continuation in many settings where public and worker safety is at risk and there are no effective alternatives and no vaccines. The science for lowering the 2m distance, however, appears to be limited if not absent at this stage.”

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE: Is two metres too far or not far enough to protect from COVID-19 and who benefits and who loses if it is reduced ?
A Commentary by Andrew Watterson, Rory O’Neill, Janet Newsham, Hilda Palmer June 22nd 2020.

Read the commentary in full here

Hazards Campaign – Going Back to work safely or not at all!
No easing of the Lockdown until seven pre-conditions are met
What we need at work to Go Back and Move Forward!

There is no conflict between economic recovery and health because a healthy economic recovery requires healthy workers and people.  The SARS-CoV-2 Virus causes the disease Covid -19.

“ The COVID-19 pandemic has made the links between occupational health and safety and wider public health very stark indeed. Workers Health is Public Health. It has also highlighted the fact that not only the health and safety of health, social and emergency workers is critical to fighting the pandemic but so too is the health and safety of key workers in the service, retail , transport, distribution and manufacturing etc sectors. If you do not protect the workforce in a pandemic you do not protect the public.” Professor A. Watterson

Relaxing the lockdown and going back to work must follow the Precaution, Prevention, Protection and Participation approach.

Precaution is needed as we still do not know enough about the virus or its transmission in various built and open environments. Recent research shows that airborne spread may be important not just droplet contamination of surfaces, and that people can spread the virus although asymptomatic or even pre-symptomatic.

Prevention of work-related COVID-19 infections must be the aim and top priority for employers, regulators and government in all workplaces, essential and non-essential, and it must be enforced rigorously by a properly funded and empowered Health and Safety Executive and Local Authority Environmental Health Officers, EHOs. The Hazards Campaign supports the ILO call for COVID-19 to be recognised as an occupational disease. 

Protection of all workers must be achieved using the health and safety law control hierarchy, the highest standards of occupational health, safety and hygiene at work, and measures to protect workers from infection by the public.

Participation of workers and trade unions all levels – not safe unless workers say it is.

It is essential that relaxation of lockdown is done safely so it prevents an immediate and exponential rise in the COVID-19 infection rate that would create a second peak of illnesses and deaths and risk of overwhelming the NHS, which would lead to emergency lockdown again. To avoid this requires national testing, tracing, isolation, with reports and records of infections and deaths provided in an open, transparent regionally and locally accountable manner, capable of rapid alerts to identify local and workplace hotspots which can be acted upon swiftly.

No easing of Lockdown until these Seven Pre-conditions are met:

1. Proven sustained low level of COVID-19 infections and deaths.
This must use all available national and regional data for infections, illnesses and deaths in all setting, such as ONS figures, including excess death comparisons with previous 5 year averages.

2. Testing, Tracing, Isolating via a demonstrably effective intelligence gathering system for infection rates. An open and transparent, locally situated public health system of testing, tracing and isolating for those with COVID-19 infection, with all results made public. This must include:

• easily accessible testing facilities – drive through and mobile testing for all who need it
• providing test results rapidly and directly to individuals tested, publicly and to national and local health services
• ensuring COVID-19 infections and deaths of workers are fully recorded by occupation and workplace in the national testing scheme, and also recorded by employers, reported as notifiable diseases, and reported to HSE through RIDDOR for tracing of transmission and infection mechanisms related to work
• baseline testing available to all workers before they return to work, and a rapid response to increases in infection rate geographically, sectorally and by workplaces. For example when cases start to rise or cases are reported in workplaces, then there should be an automatic ‘stop’ work’ step until the reasons for the rise are explained and action taken. National lockdown should be resumed if widespread infection rate appears to be increasing exponentially again.
• All testing results and statistics relating to COVID-19 must be dis-aggregated by sex, ethnicity and occupation

3 . Hospital, Care and Residential settings have proven capacity and ability to cope with normal demand of all illnesses and injuries plus COVID-19 infections without being under excessive pressure

4. Strict maintenance of social/physical distancing rules of 2 metres minimum in public spaces backed up by hand washing, sanitisers and cleaning of surfaces

5.  Safe for workers to use public transport and public spaces including:

• highest level of shielding, screens and distancing protection for workers in places of public congregation like public transport, shops, schools, hospitality etc., plus appropriate PPE where 2 metre physical distance cannot be guaranteed at all times. On public transport there is a need for screens, shields, gloves, alternative payment methods such as cashless cards for protection of workers as passengers and as operators.
• PPE for the public to protect workers, based on the latest research on airborne droplets and transmission, alongside information and training plus provision of specific sourcing of PPE for the public which does not compete with health care and other essential workers

 6.  In all workplaces the prevention of work-related COVID-19 infections must be the enforced goal.

• This must be top priority for employers, regulators and government, explicitly stated in health and safety policies and practices, and rigorously enforced by the HSE and Local Authorities.
• The 2 metre rule should apply unless it has been demonstrated the work is essential and there is no alternative. Then high-level engineering controls, systems of work, appropriate PPE and other alternative measures must be used and approved by the workers and regulators.
• All health and safety measures must be backed up by employers showing demonstrable safe systems of adapted work organisation and workplaces to ensure safe and healthy working is practical, possible and will be enforced.
• All risk assessments reviewed to a precautionary level of control to prevent all exposure to COVID-19 with specific attention to risk for those groups of workers who are disproportionately represented in illness and deaths figures. Although men are more at risk of death from COVID19 in every age group, black and minority ethnic and women workers are becoming ill and dying at a disproportionate rate and reducing their risks at work must be specifically taken into account.

7. Complete closure of all non-essential workplaces for at least 3 weeks before easing of the lockdown

• to enable employers to plan, consult with union reps, workers’ reps and health and safety regulators, to develop and implement plans to ensure their workplaces and job organisation meet the highest level of ordinary health and safety plus compliance with additional public health guidance, and
• to give the gradual easing of lockdown the best chance of success.

Going back to work– Moving forward

Workplaces must be demonstrably safe or remain closed. Prevention of work-related COVID-19 infections must be the explicit top priority for all employers, regulators and government, stated in health and safety policies and practices and rigorously enforced. If the workforce is not protected then the public will not be protected.

All employers must demonstrate that in consultation with union safety reps or workers representatives, union officers or health and safety inspectors, that they have reviewed existing risk assessments including generic pandemic planning and made new COSHH  risk assessments, then established safe systems of work, training for workers and constant monitoring. They must use the COSHH hierarchy of control to prevent exposure to SARS CoV-2 by adapting work organisation and workplaces to ensure safe and healthy working is practical, possible in all circumstances, and will be enforced. If it is impossible to adapt workplace to meet health and safety requirements including the additional public health guidance for COVID-19 then workplaces cannot reopen.

 Employers must:

1. Ensure consultation and involvement of trade unions safety reps, workers’ reps, trade union officers and where possible HSE inspectors or LA EHOs and health and safety officers, to ensure the safety and health of the workforce and of the public. 

2. Review all risk assessments in light of the continuing health risks of the COVID-19, make new risk assessments and develop safety systems of work which are fully consulted on and agreed, approved by health and safety regulators, and for which training and monitoring are organised. Pay specific attention to risk for those groups of workers who are disproportionately represented in illness and deaths figures such as  BAME and women workers. Although men are more at risk of death from COVID19 in every age group,  BAME and women workers are becoming ill and dying at a disproportionate rate and reducing their risks must be specifically taken into account.

3. Review safety of premises and equipment, checking ventilation, electrical, mechanical, structural, fire and other relevant safety issues after weeks of lack of use and daily checks during ‘lockdown’ and their appropriateness to be used with the COVID-19 threat.

4. Deep clean work premises before work is reopened and then maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene Full COSHH risk assessments for cleaning staff provided with highest level of PPE, safe products and methods of cleaning. After this to maintain high standards of cleanliness of accommodation, safe working with others including public and personal hygiene to be maintained.

5.  Review staffing levels and work-loads
These cannot return to normal as fewer workers will be permitted in given workspace to achieve 2m minimum physical distancing. This means lower workloads, targets and work rates which need to be assessed to ensure this is manageable, and that sufficient numbers of staff are available to support work safely. Consider staggered or alternating shifts with no hot desking.  Temporarily replace people who are sick or self-isolating

6. Review safe travel to and from work
The safe use of public and private transport needs to be considered includes varying hours, length of days, PPE required for travel including safe disposal of and changing facilities for clothes and welfare provision for cleaning/showering at the beginning and end of shift

7. Support for the mental health for all workers
Review stress risk assessments and take account of new work-stress factors – fear of catching COVID-19 at work or on commute, fear of infecting the family, increased anxiety due to the pandemic, grief in workers who have experienced bereavement from COVID-19 etc which will be exacerbated by returning to work.  All workers and especially new workers must be provided with more support, supportive supervision and mentors.  Training will need to be regularly reviewed.

8. Provide supportive occupational health services and health surveillance.
 This should include access to health and medical surveillance, temperature and other observations.  All COVID-19 sickness and deaths of workers need to be recorded by employers, reported to public health authorities as notifiable illness, reported to HSE under RIDDOR, and investigated to establish work-related causes. Immediate action must be taken in the workplace to protect workers and public where cases occur or  start to rise locally. If cases are reported in workplaces, then there should be an automatic ‘stop’ work’ until the reasons for the rise are explained and action taken.

9. Ensure no disciplinary consequence or detriment for taking sick/caring leave/self-isolation 

10. Provide mental and physical disability/ill health support

Risks assessments must take account of workers with underlying conditions, including pregnancy. These and workers returning from sick leave will need reviews to support reasonable adjustments where necessary, including phased return to work.

11. Provide additional measures in higher risk essential workplaces to ensure the safety, health and welfare of workers in specific essential occupations arising from risk of COVID-19 exposure:

• Health Setting Workers – review of control measures to risks including sufficient quantities and precautionary approach to highest protective levels of PPE
• Teachers and teaching settings –is it possible to maintain social distance, use of PPE and safe systems of work, reduction of pupil/student numbers
• Retail Distribution – welfare provisions, cleanliness
• Transport – protection from of contact with public, 2 metre social distancing and PPE for workers and public
• Retail – strict maintenance of 2 metre social distancing and PPE for workers and public
• Cleaners – review of COSHH assessments for all cleaning chemicals and appropriate PPE
• Social care – review of safe systems of working with several clients, in care homes. This needs to include minimum wages and sickness conditions, safety of sleep overs, public transport, access to and disposal of PPE
• Postal workers – availability of PPE and safe systems of work

12. Wider worker protections that must be ensured:

• Income protection for those who are sick or self-isolating at regular level of income
• All workers must be made aware of their legal rights to refuse work they feel exposes them to danger. This right should be made an enforceable explicit right to refuse work, return to work, or continue to work where safety and health are felt to be at risk, without any immediate or deferred detriment..
• Protection from victimisation and unfair dismissal where workers or reps have been whistle-blowers, carried out inspections of the workplace, raised issues about concerns with enforcing bodies, or taken sick/caring or self-isolation leave.
• Direct access to enforcement officers by safety reps via a help- line to raise concerns, obtain advice and help from HSE Inspectors or Local Authority EHOs
• All COVID-19 sickness and deaths of workers must be reported under RIDDOR to provide intelligence of patterns of exposure at work and possible negligence
• COVID-19 to be recognised as an occupational disease

Useful Information and sources

Hazards Magazine: http://www.hazards.org/index.htm  Exposed Coronavirus issue 149

Hazards Campaign: http://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/ Briefings, statements on CV19

Hazards Campaign Detailed briefing on Risk Assessments for CV19 (coming soon).

TUC Risk Assessment: https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/risk-assessment-guide-safety-reps

TUC Preparing for return to work outside the home https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/preparing-return-work-outside-home-trade-union-approach

HSE https://www.hse.gov.uk   and special email for union safety and other reps to report concerns at work about Covid19: Union.Covidconcerns@hse.gov.uk

Hazards Campaign Twitter: @hazardscampaign
Facebook: We didn’t vote to die at work                                                                 email:  info@hazardscampign.org.uk