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.
Where staff are unable to maintain social distancing (2 metres), every attempt should be made to avoid staff working across bubbles. If you have staff working across bubbles for periods of time during the school day e.g. Head Teacher, Business Manager, caretaker, cleaners, they are required to wear Type II mask. Type II face masks (EN14683) are medical face masks made up of a protective 3 ply construction that prevents large particles from reaching the pupils or working surfaces. Type II masks are not suitable for dealing with situations when blood or bodily fluids are present or when dealing with a suspected COVID-19 case in the school – these circumstances would require a Type IIR mask.
Your risk assessment will need to be reviewed and updated if you do have staff working across bubbles, ensuring control measures are in place to prevent the spread of the infection.
If you have any queries, please contact healthandsafety@slough.gov.uk.