As businesses are beginning to reopen, following the government announcement that lockdown measures will start to ease slightly, many employers and employees are concerned a about guidelines should be met and the measures they need to put in place to comply and to fully protect their people.
A snap poll by SHP on Monday found that only 9% of people are preparing to return to work, but 36% don’t feel safe doing so. With an expectation that where social distancing is not possible, the use of face coverings may be required in order to decrease the risk of transmission of infection from the wearer to others.
Last week, Arco announced that it has secured a supply of 40m Type II masks and 90m Type IIR masks, which are in the process of being delivered to its National Distribution Centre (NDC) in Hull. A series of 20 trucks have been arriving in a carefully timed schedule to deliver the first 19m masks and work has begun inside the newly extended building to get orders out of the door, to customers across the country as quickly as possible.
Throughout the pandemic, Arco has been supplying the NHS, ambulance services, local authorities and other public health bodies in the UK and has made a significant contribution to support the UK supply chain for critical equipment. Last month, Arco Marketing Director Adam Young joined SHP’s live webinar, part of Safety & Health Expo Digital Week, to discuss the work Arco has been undertaking during the pandemic and to provide advice on Sourcing PPE during COVID-19. The session is available to listen to, on-demand, here.
Expert advice sheets
To assist practitioners with ensuring a safe return to the workplace. the company has developed a set of expert advice sheets. The ‘toolkit’ is aligned with Government advice and covers topics such as Managing Risk, Cleaning the Workplace, Working Safely During Coronavirus and PPE – what to wear and how to use it.
It’s important that the right type of respiratory protection is specified for the job, to ensure that the higher levels of protective equipment are issued only where necessary and critical supplies are not diverted from where they are needed most. Arco’s freely available guidance offers expert advice on when to specify a respirator or a mask, selecting the right Type II mask, plus a set of guides and FAQs for end users.
Arco says it is deeply concerned about the quantity of non-compliant products that are now on the UK market, many of which have fake test certification and do not meet UK standards. These products could potentially put workers at risk, rather than protect them. With its own independently accredited product testing lab on site, Arco is positioned to advise on fake and counterfeit products that are finding their way into the marketplace. The company is using its deep technical knowledge on product quality and conformity to assist the OPSS and Trading Standards in their effort to keep non-compliant products out of the supply chain.
TRUST NHS and Care homes continue to be given priority and that ARCO reflect government advice is that masks are not appropriate for COVID 19 control ion everyday applications