This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Associate Director and Education & Inclusion, Johnny Kyriacou on behalf of Slough Borough Council's Senior H&S Adviser Vicki Swift. This is for the attention of all schools.
Please find below clarification on when schools can apply for free of charge PPE from SBC or the government:
Schools and other education and childcare settings are responsible for sourcing their own PPE. It is the responsibility of schools/ child care settings to source PPE at the required standards for employees to use whilst at work.
If schools and other education and child care setting have critical unmet need, they can approach SBC for support to meet this emergency need. Examples include that the delivery has not arrived on time or the setting is unable to source the required PPE due to national shortages etc.
PPE can be sourced through the council for staff in education and childcare settings. It is recognised that COVID-19 related PPE use will be very limited, namely for:
- When caring for a child or individual who develops symptoms while attending their setting (and then only if a distance of two metres cannot be maintained.)
- When performing aerosol generating procedures (AGPs.)
Schools can source, through the council, Type II face masks for staff required to cross bubble - for example the Head Teacher, facilities staff etc. (NB: remember to update your risk assessment to cover staff cross bubbling).
Children’s homes, secure children’s homes and residential special schools can access PPE via the national PPE portal here.
If you require PPE from SBC, for the purposes listed above, please complete the ‘PPE Request Form’ here.
Schools and educational settings ordering from SBC will be responsible for picking up PPE from SBC council offices.
Please note that the council do not hold an unlimited amounts of PPE, hence all requests will be assessed upon receipt, to ensure compliance with the requirements set out above.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the PPE Team on ppe@slough.gov.uk.