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Large offices & COVID-19

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 9,371 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    Is two meters really much use in an office when you are sat there all day beside people. I work in an office with 10 other people. We are about the 2m apart. I'm not convinced its safe when we are all sat there for the day breathing the same air.
    Unless they're sneezing or particularly spitty when they talk at you it's pretty unlikely you'll breathe in droplets. It's not in the air as such. Just be mindful of shared surfaces.


  • Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭MrsBean


    Just a note to the original poster. I am in similar situation, working in CS in shared office space. On Friday our office made the move to wedge open any doors that they could, disarm swipe access etc so that people can avoid touching them unnecessarily. Ask about that.

    I brought in Milton sterilising fluid in a spray bottle to clean down the machines, buttons and handles that we all have to use. Clean down regularly. Ask facilities for gloves so that you don’t have to handle pouches etc directly. Not feasible to wash your hands all the time but as regularly as you can. I also keep windows open to circulate fresh air.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭An Ri rua


    Arghus wrote: »
    In theory yes, but in practice, no. Things aren't as easy as they appear.

    Lets say you try to do all your stocking outside customer hours. Currently, in the store I work in, that's 6 hours of 24. And usually, at the best of times, skeleton staffed.

    There's only a certain capacity on the shelves and shopfloor also. You could stock the shelves to the point of bursting during that 6 hour customer free period, but just merely stocking the shelves to their capacity once isn't going meet customer demand or clear your backlog of delivery overstocks - if you can't pack during customer hours - particularly in the case of perishable goods that rely on quick and constant delivery, stocking and buying.

    In a nutshell deliveries are constant and currently enormous, due to demand, and there is only so much storage space in each store and every day more and more stuff is arriving on top of that, but meanwhile, you are trying to restrict the hours during which you can put things on the shelves? That's an unworkable solution that would result in more and more empty shelves, but absurdly chock a block warehouses.

    I'm not following you when you say install all self service checkouts? Do you mean literally replace every checkout with a self service one. Okay, that takes time, money, equipment, manpower, planning. If it was to be really done en masse, as opposed to incrementally, you'd probably have to close the store for at least a day, possibly two. It's a big enough operation, you don't just click your fingers. And closing a supermarket for 24 hours right now? And in any case self service checkouts have limited usefulness for people doing big weekly shops. They're efficient if you've got a few bits. That's what they are designed for.

    None of what was suggested takes time, money, equipment in the way that you say.

    Re restocking, it could be planned, and advertised widely that eg 12-1 and 4-5 are now stocking times and closed to the public. Not rocket science.
    Also, in eg Tesco, simply close the main tills and have more security guards and other staff in that supervisory function over self-service tills. Far from ideal but very easy, and quick, to implement while we await Plan B. Most people have a lot of time on their hands. Their visit can be staggered either v basically (queueing, not a great plan) or some other identifier eg scanning their value/club card that allows them access to shop.
    It's all doable. It simply has to happen now as we find novel ways to re-order our lives.


  • Registered Users Posts: 519 ✭✭✭splashuum


    There’s talks of the restrictions being brought forward. Will large offices be brought back sooner than we thought?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,335 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    We're talking after phase 5 where I work. Could be year end though for those with health issues


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  • Registered Users Posts: 14 Willow216


    Anybody work in a call centre? Just wondering if you guys are being forced back into the one room again on Monday?


    I won't name the place, but they tried to do it this week, for Monday 8th, but somebody complained and they organised face masks (which is not practical for speaking on phone all day)


    At the moment people are working from home, and then some people have been moved into their vacated offices. So everybody is separate.



    I thought it was meant to continue like this for a while longer, no?


    (I did try ringing HSA to get some info on distancing in offices, etc, but can't get through)


    From gov.ie page, where the phases are laid out, it's says businesses working remotely should continue to do so.


  • Registered Users Posts: 519 ✭✭✭splashuum


    Willow216 wrote: »
    Anybody work in a call centre? Just wondering if you guys are being forced back into the one room again on Monday?


    I won't name the place, but they tried to do it this week, for Monday 8th, but somebody complained and they organised face masks (which is not practical for speaking on phone all day)


    At the moment people are working from home, and then some people have been moved into their vacated offices. So everybody is separate.



    I thought it was meant to continue like this for a while longer, no?


    (I did try ringing HSA to get some info on distancing in offices, etc, but can't get through)


    From gov.ie page, where the phases are laid out, it's says businesses working remotely should continue to do so.

    You definitely shouldn't be going back to the office. Remote working must continue where possible and is now more important than ever.


  • Registered Users Posts: 196 ✭✭lfen


    Willow216 wrote: »
    Anybody work in a call centre? Just wondering if you guys are being forced back into the one room again on Monday?


    I won't name the place, but they tried to do it this week, for Monday 8th, but somebody complained and they organised face masks (which is not practical for speaking on phone all day)


    At the moment people are working from home, and then some people have been moved into their vacated offices. So everybody is separate.



    I thought it was meant to continue like this for a while longer, no?


    (I did try ringing HSA to get some info on distancing in offices, etc, but can't get through)


    From gov.ie page, where the phases are laid out, it's says businesses working remotely should continue to do so.

    Yes, manage a call centre & sounds like your employer is jumping the gun. The gov advice is to work from home if possible to do so. Can you work from home?


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 Willow216


    lfen wrote: »
    Yes, manage a call centre & sounds like your employer is jumping the gun. The gov advice is to work from home if possible to do so. Can you work from home?


    Yes, technically I can and am willing to. When lock down happened some people went home and that freed up private offices, so the staff that chose not to go home were able to spread out through the building.



    I ended up with a private office, instead of going home. I was happy with this as there were a few systems I wasn't 100% sure of (I'm not in the job that long) and my manager was in an office on the same floor.



    About 2 weeks ago I requested to work from home, as I felt comfortable with systems, and they said 'no', that everybody was being called back in for Monday 8th June (that's now been pushed to next Monday)


    Phase 2 on gov.ie says guidelines are to continue remote working, 'more important than ever', so I'm very confused why they are pushing for this. Fairly large organisation too, would have assumed they would know better.



    Thanks for your reply, do you mind me asking is everyone in your place working from home? And if so, when does your company intend to go back to normal?


  • Registered Users Posts: 196 ✭✭lfen


    Willow216 wrote: »
    Yes, technically I can and am willing to. When lock down happened some people went home and that freed up private offices, so the staff that chose not to go home were able to spread out through the building.



    I ended up with a private office, instead of going home. I was happy with this as there were a few systems I wasn't 100% sure of (I'm not in the job that long) and my manager was in an office on the same floor.



    About 2 weeks ago I requested to work from home, as I felt comfortable with systems, and they said 'no', that everybody was being called back in for Monday 8th June (that's now been pushed to next Monday)


    Phase 2 on gov.ie says guidelines are to continue remote working, 'more important than ever', so I'm very confused why they are pushing for this. Fairly large organisation too, would have assumed they would know better.



    Thanks for your reply, do you mind me asking is everyone in your place working from home? And if so, when does your company intend to go back to normal?

    The large organisations are probably the worst tbh. That’s my experience anyway.

    We were one of the last to move to remote working but given the gov advice, are taking a very cautious approach to returning to the office.

    Next week, those who cannot work from home can go back to the office. I’d say we have 12 going back out of 200 staff. The office has been deep cleaned, water coolers replaced, seats taken out to ensure social distancing etc. There are currently no plans for anyone else to return beyond that. We can only fit a very limited amount of people in given the 2 meter rule.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,134 ✭✭✭Lux23


    We won't be back until July 20th, but even then I think we will have to work from home some of the week. I think the maximum occupancy for most buildings is about 30%, but for some rooms it could be a low as 10%. It is very tricky.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭An Ri rua


    @Willow216 do you have a Workplace Safety Representative appointed? Are FORSA active in your workplace?


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 Willow216


    lfen wrote: »
    We can only fit a very limited amount of people in given the 2 meter rule.


    I think this rule is mainly for standing a queue or passing people in the street or hall or riding a bus or train for 30mins - I don't think it will work for 8 hours together in the same room everyday; surely you all end up breathing the same thing after that long?



    "do you have a Workplace Safety Representative appointed? Are FORSA active in your workplace?"


    I read that in the HSA guidelines - I don't see a WSR appointed nor was I introduced to one; just an informal chat with the H&S guy. Not sure about FORSA, will look into it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,077 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    My office is opening in August with 20% of normal capacity


  • Registered Users Posts: 196 ✭✭lfen


    Willow216 wrote: »
    I think this rule is mainly for standing a queue or passing people in the street or hall or riding a bus or train for 30mins - I don't think it will work for 8 hours together in the same room everyday; surely you all end up breathing the same thing after that long?



    "do you have a Workplace Safety Representative appointed? Are FORSA active in your workplace?"


    I read that in the HSA guidelines - I don't see a WSR appointed nor was I introduced to one; just an informal chat with the H&S guy. Not sure about FORSA, will look into it.

    Maybe in theory it won’t but the employer still has to put measures in place to try to keep employees 2 meters apart. Urinals closed, only 1 allowed in a left, desks removed to allow distance, no desks allowed near a walkway etc. There’s a huge amount that employers have been instructed to do.


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