Covid-19: Health and safety concerns at work

Have you got the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) you need to keep you safe? Are you able to keep 2 meters away from your colleagues (in line with Welsh Government regulations)? Can you wash your hands whenever you need to? If not, please tell us about the problems at your workplace. 

We will anonymously share the information about your health and safety concern with Welsh Government and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). If you tell us it’s OK to pass on your details, we will also report the issue to your trade union for you. 

What can I do if I don't feel safe at work? 

Tell someone about it!

• Fill in our health and safety concerns form
• Contact your union and report it 
• If you're not a member of a union, use our Union Finder tool to find the right one for you
• Write to your MP  or AM to demand government action and 
• Read our guidance on coronavirus for trade union reps.

If you have concerns about what your employer is doing that doesn't relate to health and safety please fill in this survey. 

What changes can my employer make to keep me safe during coronavirus? 

Your employer should allow you to work from home if possible.

In line with Welsh Government guidance your employer should take all reasonable measures to make sure you can stay 2 meters away from colleagues while at work. Read more about the 2 meter guidance

If it's not possible for you to work from home your employer can take several actions: 

• Immediately implement staggered shifts and break times to reduce the number of people in work.
• Support staff to get to work by the safest means possible (e.g. waiving car parking charges to reduce workers’ need for public transport or allowing staff to travel at less busy times). 
• Change workers patterns to allow greater social distancing (e.g. introducing split shifts and staggering start and finish times). 
• Consult with health and safety union reps and committees – as already required by law.
• Providing appropriate personal protective equipment, and washing and changing facilities.  
• Suspend biometric clocking in systems and the use of shared tools
• Provide workers with access to washing facilities, as already required by law, introduce strict cleaning regimes and make available the appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Provide changing facilities to allow workers the option to change clothes before attending work and going home.

If your employer isn't implementing these actions please tell us. 

What changes do we want to see the government make? 

We are concerned that many workers who can’t work from home are being exposed to unnecessary Covid-19 risk because their employers are not putting adequate safety measures in place.  

We are calling for: 

• Strong new rules from government on the safety measures employers should put in place  
• Every employer that expects workers to come in to work to complete a full formal risk assessment, following government guidance and with the involvement of their staff unions. 
• Protection for workers who refuse to go to work during this period because they are genuinely afraid that they’re being put at avoidable Covid-19 risk 

Wales TUC believes that stronger enforcement of workplace safety regulations is needed both to protect individual workers and their families, and to slow the spread of the virus.  

Wales TUC General Secretary Shavanah Taj said:  

“With coronavirus infections increasing, employers and government have a duty to do all they can to keep their workers safe.  

“But many people who have to go into work are raising the alarm about their working conditions, including front line workers. We are hearing all the time from people who aren’t being given proper personal protection equipment or able to socially distance. Guidance continues to be interpreted and applied in a variety of ways.

“No one should have to endanger their own life and put their families and the wider community at risk of the virus spreading. That is why we want to hear from people who have concerns, and pass those on to unions and government for immediate intervention, actively fighting for their right to a safe and decent workplace”.