New Face Covering/Face Mask Rules for Shops, Supermarkets including Post Offices, Royal Mail Group
No. 378/2020
Our Ref: E1/20
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
New Face Covering/Face Mask Rules for Shops, Supermarkets including Post Offices, Royal Mail Group Customer Service Points (CSPs) - Provision and Wearing of Face Masks by Royal Mail Group (RM, PFWW & RMSS) Staff: Further to LTB 368/20 this is an update on the changes to the latest government guidance and the ‘mandatory’ face coverings/face masks rules.
As Branches and Representatives will know, face masks in shops became mandatory in Scotland from 10 July. Wearing a face covering in shops and supermarkets in England is to become mandatory from 24 July. The wearing of face coverings is already mandatory on all public transport.
Those who fail to comply with the new rules will face a £60 fine in Scotland and a fine of up to £100 in England. Shoppers in Wales and Northern Ireland are not currently required to wear masks, although both nations have said this policy will be kept under review.
The impact of this is that from Friday 10 July all Royal Mail and Parcelforce and RMSS employees in Scotland delivering to or collecting from retail premises e.g., shops, supermarkets and Post Offices must wear a face covering (as reported in LTB 368/20). The same will apply in England from 24 July. Customer Service Points/Callers Offices are classified as shops for the purposes of this guidance and therefore all customers using these facilities have needed to wear a face covering/mask from the 10 July Scotland and from 24 July will need to wear a face covering/mask in England. It is not mandatory for Royal Mail Group employees who work in CSPs to wear a face covering/mask. However, face masks remain available through line managers for anyone who chooses to wear one.
A programme of installing ‘social distancing’ protective screens in Customer Service Points (CSPs)/Callers Offices has been underway as reported in LTBs 373/20, 324/20 and 334/20. Following a meeting this week with Royal Mail Group Assets and Procurement, the Health, Safety & Environment department has been assured that Royal Mail Group has ample supplies of masks. Six million masks have been distributed to offices across the UK and five million are currently held in central stock at Swindon. Six million more masks are on order from suppliers to replenish stocks.
If an office has less than 3 weeks supply an ‘App’ automatically re-orders supplies of Coronavirus/Covid-19 PPE supplies (masks, sanitiser gel, wipes and gloves). Posters have been made available to display the face coverings/masks requirements in CSPs (copies attached). A copy of the Communication issued by the Royal Mail Group Safety, Health and Environment team regarding the above is attached.
The law provides discretion to people who have a health condition, a disability and other groups (see attached list).
Note: Further to LTB 368/20 - one additional face coverings/face masks rule change has been announced by the Welsh government this week, who will introduce a ‘mandatory’ requirement for face coverings/face masks on public transport (buses, trains and taxis) from 27 July.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Attachments:
RMG SHE Communication – Face Coverings In Shops In England
RMG Face CSP Face Coverings Poster (England)
RMG Face CSP Face Coverings Poster (Scotland)
Those Exempt From Wearing Face Coverings list
Scotland face covering
Those Exempt from wearing a face mask
Comments