Covid outbreak confirmed at Royal Mail Seacroft delivery office as company outlines safety measures

At least two staff at the Seacroft Delivery Office have tested positive for the virus and are now recuperating at home, Royal Mail confirmed.

An intensive clean of the building has been instigated following the outbreak.

A depot worker told the Yorkshire Evening Post he has some concerns over the way the outbreak has been dealt with there.

The source said staff were instructed to continue sorting the mail at the same stations used by colleagues who had tested positive for the virus in spite of protests by staff.

The source continued: "On Wednesday when the two confirmed cases were sent home other posties were instructed to continue sorting the mail at the stations the two lads were working on minutes before.

"There was no closing off of the stations despite protests from members of staff.

"The two vans the infected lads were on were also to be used, again despite protests."

The man also said that QR codes for Track and Trace have not been placed in the delivery office.

The source added: "The attitude towards our safety has been a disgrace from the start and hasn’t changed even with the now confirmed cases.

"Two confirmed cases and three suspected cases in less than a week and still no concern for our safety from a company such as Royal Mail is absolutely disgusting."

A Royal Mail spokesperson confirmed the positive cases among staff and said it has put in place a "range of preventative measures to protect both customers and colleagues".

All staff have been briefed about the measures and visible reminders including posters and one-way floor markings have been installed, Royal Mail said.

The spokesperson said: “Royal Mail takes the health and safety of its colleagues, its customers and the local communities in which we operate very seriously.

"Two of our colleagues recently tested positive for coronavirus at the Seacroft Delivery Office.

"They are now recuperating at home and we wish them a speedy recovery. We have carried out an intensive clean of the building. The office is operating as normal.

"Throughout this crisis, every decision we make puts the health of our people and customers first.

"We have put in place a range of preventive measures to protect both our customers and our colleagues.

"We were the first UK company to put in place social-distancing measures in relation to parcel delivery.

"We pioneered contact-free delivery.

"We are temporarily not handing over our hand-held devices to customers to capture signatures.

"As well as encouraging good hand hygiene, standard ways of working have been revised to ensure that colleagues stay two metres apart at all times.

"In addition we have moved to a one person per van delivery model.

"All staff have been briefed about the social distancing measures jointly agreed by local management and the CWU.

"This has been supplemented with visible reminders such as posters and one-way floor markings.”

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Thank you

Laura Collins