Home Visits Guidance Barnet Public Health 30th March 2020
To view the advice please click on the link below
2020.04.01. Covid_19 Advice to Staff visiting homes 30.03_JD
2020.04.01. Covid_19 Advice to Staff visiting homes 30.03_JD
The threat of COVID 19 both real and perceived is growing stronger every day especially amongst front line workers who are being asked to carry on a deliver services as normal.
But these are not normal times. We are in a global pandemic which is sweeping across the globe, some countries faster than others.
The response from workers in public services is incredible people are offering support to other services which are under serious pressure.
Once such service that needs to continue otherwise there will be another type of public health risk is the Waste and Recycling Service.
There can sometimes be 3 or 4 workers sitting inside a vehicle a clear contravention of the government advice on social distancing.
Earlier this week Barnet UNISON wrote to Barnet Council requesting urgent measures to be put in place to safeguard our member’s health and safety.
Our demands are as follows:
1. Cleaning regime.
The inside of the vehicles are subjected to thorough cleansing regime each day.
That Hand gel is provided for each team every day. Please note there are no toilets available for these staff to use therefore no access to water and soap.
Cleansing wipes to be provided to each team every day.
Gloves and masks to be provided to each team every day.
Provision of toilet facilities for the workforce
Procedure to change how they currently work to reflect government advice about social distancing.
2. Bonus/recognition payment
Workers have asked that the Council pay a bonus to the reflect the recognition of the work they are currently providing under difficult circumstances.
3. Mental Health
To increase awareness of counselling support for staff working on the frontline during this national crisis.
4. Food and supplies
It is well documented that access to supermarkets is proving problematic and for the key workers it will more difficult for them to access supermarkets as they are working. Barnet UNISON has asked Barnet Council look to secure means by which food and supplies can be provided on an order basis for key workers.
Cleansing
Hand sanitiser gel has been issued to the crews and drivers have a supply of hand wipes for them and the crew to use. Drivers can request more from the Supervisors once their supply has gone. Drivers are also being issued with cleansing wipes so that they are able to wipe down surfaces, handles and steering wheels in the cab. We have also progressed arrangements to implement a cleansing regime for vehicle cabs. Nitril gloves are currently also available on request for those who may wish to use them.
We have sourced resource that will be undertaking a deep cleanse of the RCV cabs on Saturday this week. Following this, we will have a team of four people working from Monday to clean the vehicle cabs. RCV’s will be cleaned on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings and Street Cleansing vehicles will be cleaned on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Payment.
No bonus payment will be paid to key workers.
Mental Health
Mental Health First Aiders to be made available for staff to contact and discuss their issues.
Food and Supplies
No.
End.
We are attending weekly skype meetings with Barnet Council every Wednesday morning.
If you have any questions or concerns email the branch at
You can keep up to date with Barnet UNISON here on our
Website here http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BarnetUNISON/
Twitter https://twitter.com/barnet_unison
If your employer is not listening to the government following the lock down announcement as a worker you do have some legal rights to protect your health and safety.
If you are a Barnet UNISON member please let us know immediately by emailing the branch at
Already some workers have walked out by using this legislation
Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 44 (Health and safety cases).
(1) An employee has the right not to be subjected to any detriment by any act, or any deliberate failure to act, by his employer done on the ground that—
(d) in circumstances of danger which the employee reasonably believed to be serious and imminent and which he could not reasonably have been expected to avert, he left (or proposed to leave) or (while the danger persisted) refused to return to his place of work or any dangerous part of his place of work, or
(e) in circumstances of danger which the employee reasonably believed to be serious and imminent, he took (or proposed to take) appropriate steps to protect himself or other persons from the danger.
Please let the branch know what is going on with your employer by sending an email to
You can keep up to date with Barnet UNISON here on our
Website here http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BarnetUNISON/
Twitter https://twitter.com/barnet_unison
Dear Members
If you work in social care we want to make sure that you are being kept safe.
Below are links to Public Health England guidance for workers in Residential, Supported Living and Home Care.
Please read the information carefully. If you are not getting Personal Protective
Updated 19 March 2020
“Care home providers will routinely be procuring personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and aprons. In addition, there will be a free issue of PPE to support adult social care providers to support compliance with the updated advice. This will be issued from the pandemic influenza stockpile. Arrangements will be put in place for adult social care providers to access further PPE as necessary.”
Updated 19 March 2020
“Personal protective equipment
The risk of transmission should be minimised through safe working procedures. Care workers should use personal protective equipment for activities that bring them into close personal contact, such as washing and bathing, personal hygiene and contact with bodily fluids.
Aprons, gloves and fluid repellent surgical masks should be used in these situations.
In particular cases, if there is a risk of splashing then eye protection will minimise risk.
New personal protective equipment must be used for each episode of care. It is essential that personal protective equipment is stored securely within disposable rubbish bags.
These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste within the room. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in the usual household waste bin for disposal.”
Updated 19 March 2020
“Personal protective equipment
Care workers should use personal protective equipment (PPE) for activities that bring them into close personal contact, such as washing and bathing, personal hygiene and contact with bodily fluids.
Aprons, gloves and fluid repellent surgical masks should be used in these situations. If there is a risk of splashing, then eye protection will minimise risk.
New personal protective equipment must be used for each episode of care. It is essential that personal protective equipment is stored securely within disposable rubbish bags.
These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste within the room. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in the usual household waste bin.”
Dear Member
I thought I would share the latest update from UNISON in relation to Coronavirus, all workplaces including schools.
“What is UNISON nationally is doing now?
We are seeking to work with national government, local government and education employers to draw up additional guidance. We have raised a range of issues with them including:
More details here.
https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/education-services/key-issues/covid-19-closures/
I have submitted the above to Barnet Council and requested that I need a response which I can share to all of our members.
Until further notice Barnet UNISON will be operating a home working system from our branch workers in line with government advice which means the branch office is closed for access.
Our answering machine and emails will be monitored during this period and we will continue to provide telephone and email advice to our members, individual face to face representation is to be postponed at this time however we will still be representing you but trying to find an alternative way to do so in line with the government advice on COVID19.
If you have a new issue or query you would like assistance with, in the first instance, please either telephone the branch on 020 8359 2088 and leave a message on the Voicemail, giving your name and phone number very clearly and slowly or email the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk and leave your name, contact telephone number, workplace and a brief outline of your issue or query.
We will arrange for a representative to contact you as soon as possible.
Please see below a list of our Officers and reps together with their contact details and working hours for those who have ongoing cases with the below:
Monday to Friday. John Burgess Branch Secretary John.Burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Monday to Friday. Helen Davies Branch Chair Helen.Davies@barnetunison.org.uk
Tuesday & Thursday. Hugh Jordan Health and Safety/Convenor Libraries Hugh.Jordan@barnetunison.org.uk
Tuesday to Wednesday Beverly Berrick (Schools) Tues- Weds Beverley.Berrick@barnetunison.org.uk
Wednesday to Friday. Chris Jobson Street Scene Convenor Chris.Jobson@barnetunison.org.uk
Wednesday to Friday. Patrick Hunter Convenor Barnet Homes Patrick.Hunter@barnetunison.org.uk
Monday to Friday. Lorraine Berry Office Manager Lorraine.Berry@barnetunison.org.uk
You can also ring Unison Direct on 0800 0857 857.
End.
“What do they mean by self-isolation?”
“What do they mean by underlying conditions?”
Some clinical conditions put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.
People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as: