Tag: safety

Function 4/PASS/Clerks

Here are some words from our Lamont Brooks.

All employees should be exercising social distancing for safety reasons.

Employees should be considerate of each as it pertains to social distancing and alerting supervisors in situations where it is not taking place.

Vance secured a response on the PASS, but social distancing should be applied period.

Please share with the APWU local officers, stewards and clerk employees.

Local leadership should be addressing many of these issues based on directives already sent to the field.

If local management are not following protocol, elevate the specific issue to your respective NBAs first, for intervention at their level to avoid overwhelming HQ officers.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Lamont Brooks
Director
Clerk Division

 

 

Stand Up Talk, Updated Manager Guide, and Return to Work Guidelines

Please see attached.  There is a new stand up talk in regards to Employee Privacy–COVID-19.  An updated Coronaviurs Diesease 2019 (COVID-19) Supervisor and Management Guidance dated 3/30/2020 and also a document on the Criteria for Return to Work for Employees with Confirmed Case of COVID-19.

Use of Masks: Surgical and N95

There have been many questions recently about the use and wearing of masks while at work.  There is no dispute that an employee can wear a mask at work if they choose to do so. A concern was brought to me in regards to the “N95” masks. The Postal Service, like many other agencies has run into a shortage of the N95 masks.  As such, the determination was made that they would issue surgical masks.  Surgical masks provide barrier protection against droplets including large respiratory particles.  Employees should be able to get surgical masks from their supervisors and managers.  The Post Office reports that Topeka has them in stock and they are available for order.  Two other things that all should be aware of:

  1. The Post Office says that in offices where they do not have surgical masks, but they do have N95 masks—they will issue the N95 masks.  Once they get surgical masks you can expect them to discontinue issuing the N95 and begin issuing the surgical masks.
  2. The Post Office has stated that an employee can wear an N95 mask that they procured on their own as long as they do so consistent with the management instruction previously sent out.

As always, this is a fluid situation.  Please continue to stay alert and vigilant.  Please disseminate.

Vance Zimmerman
Industrial Relations Director