Stafford Screwfix staff test positive for Covid-19

The site had three confirmed positive tests among staff in the warehouse and transport departments in 24 hours, according to a letter seen by the Express & Star dated September 4.

The letter lists measures that the company is implementing to protect employees, including social distancing, segregated access and egress, personal protective equipment (PPE), enhanced cleaning and additional hand sanitizer stations.

It states: "We understand that this news will inevitably cause concern and is an anxious time for everyone, so we want to provide you with as much information as possible to help reassure you of your safety while in the workplace.

"The identified colleagues are all self-isolating in line with Public Health England and NHS guidance, and we will be engaging and working closely with Public Health England to ensure you are protected."

The DIY retailer came under pressure from union bosses in April over an alleged lack of social distancing at its warehouses in Stafford and Lichfield.

While Screwfix would not confirm directly if three employees had tested positive, in a statement a spokesman said: "The safety of our customers and colleagues is our number one priority.

"We have implemented stringent safety measures across all of our stores and warehouses. These measures include strict social distancing, hand hygiene and routine deep cleaning of all high traffic areas within the site.

"With increased testing and cases of Covid-19 throughout the UK, we have very clear protocols around colleagues displaying symptoms, testing, and the safety of other colleagues.

"We have 1,477 people working at our facility in Stafford and their safety is our priority. We continuously review the safety measures we have in place, in line with government guidelines, to ensure that we can continue to supply our customers and keep our colleagues safe. This applies to all our sites across the Screwfix network."