British Safety Council calls for mask mandate
The British Safety Council believes that delegating the decision on the wearing of masks to individuals risks chaos and confusion, as organisations and businesses interpret the change differently and impose their own rules: "What businesses need most is certainty and consistency on what is the right thing to do. The mixed messaging from Government is failing to provide reassurance to workers in transport, healthcare and retail who remain concerned about their safety. We’ve heard from British Safety Council retail members, for example, that they are planning to leave in place check-out screening to protect workers. Not only does this provide a physical barrier but also psychological reassurance to staff".
The organisations is therefore urging the Government to re-think its policy on the wearing of face masks.
"With COVID cases rising rapidly, masks protect others should you be asymptomatic, so wearing a mask indoors and in crowds reduces the risk of further spreading the disease. While the vaccination programme has been a success, being vaccinated only reduces the likelihood of ending up in hospital, but it does not give full immunity, so the risk of serious illness remains high. Furthermore, although the link between cases and hospitalisations is weakened, it's not broken – the expected 100,000 cases a day could lead to 2,000 admissions, twice what the NHS sees in the depths of winter for all respiratory infections. Plus millions of people are not yet fully vaccinated," said a spokesperson for the organisation.
Lawrence Waterman, Chairman of the British Safety Council, said:
“To go from the controls put in place for the last 15 months to nothing overnight is a significant risk and particularly to UK workers. While we would all like to believe that everyone will act responsibly, experience shows us this is not guaranteed. There has been a fantastic level of public compliance with the rules, why go from collective protection to a free-for-all? The Prime Minster himself has said caution is absolutely vital – if he truly believes this, then he should show leadership on the wearing of masks rather than take a leap of faith into the unknown that risks all the sacrifices and hard-won progress made since March 2020.”
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About the British Safety Council
The British Safety Council believes that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work.
Since its foundation in 1957, the British Safety Council has campaigned tirelessly to protect workers from accidents, hazards and unsafe conditions, and played a decisive role in the political process that has led to the adoption of landmark safety legislation in the UK. Its members in more than 60 countries are committed to protecting and improving the wellbeing of workers, believing that a healthy and safe work environment is also good for business.
As part of its charitable work, the British Safety Council leads health and safety networking forums for all sectors, facilitates and promotes best practice in Britain and overseas. It also offers a range of services and products, including training, qualifications, publications, audits and awards. The British Safety Council works closely with organisations, charities and individuals who share its vision of ensuring that every worker goes home at the end of the day as healthy as they were when they went to work.
British Safety Council’s networks:
Website: www.britsafe.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/britsafe
Facebook: www.facebook.com/britishsafetycouncil
YouTube: www.youtube.com/britishsafetycouncil
LinkedIn group: www.linkedin.com/company/british-safety-council
Safety Management: https://sm.britsafe.org
