'Real fear' at Dundee factory as workers test positive for covid
NHS Tayside is aware of 19 cases at Dover Fueling Solutions, employees have been told the figure is 32.
Last updated 17th Jun 2021
Tay News is hearing workers at a Dundee factory are scared for their safety as bosses continue to keep it open amid a covid outbreak.
NHS Tayside is aware of 19 cases at Dover Fueling Solutions, employees have been told the figure is 32.
Just under 500 are based there, we understand around a dozen staged a walkout on Tuesday.
One assembly worker, who we've kept anonymous, said he's frightened.
"There's a real fear, it's shaking through the guys at the very bottom sweeping the floor to those at the top," he said.
"It's a fear you can feel in the atmosphere"
"It's something that's there but no one wants to address. If anyone did they'd be out the door. I was working beside someone last week that has had a positive test. We've been told we don't need to isolate as we have two metre distancing.
"But in the workplace we're passing petrol pumps between each other, there's no sanitisation of the pumps as they're passing from person to person. It's quite scary.
"They don't want to close down, it's like they're trying to make us much money as they can without thinking of the safety of those in the factory."
Is priority public safety or production?
The company has confirmed it carried out anti-viral fogging overnight twice this week while the factory was closed.
An employee at the factory told Tay News this was done in two stages, cleaning 50% of the factory before working on the other half 24 hours later.
We understand workers mixed between the two zones before the second anti-viral fogging took place.
Occupational health expert Professor Andrew Watterson is asking why this was not done in a oner?
"It looks as if the cleaning occurred in two stages so that production wasn't disrupted, which begs the questions, shouldn't public health have been the priority?," he said.
"If you're fogging in the workplace to get rid of the virus, did the virus come through aerosols and droplets?
"If it did, you'd expect the deep cleaning process within the limits of that particular strategy to have covered the whole workplace."
Dundee's covid spike continues to rise
Latest Public Health Scotland figures show 476 coronavirus cases have been detected in the city in a week.
The test positivity rate stands at 8.3%, that's more than double the national average, which sits at 4.1%
An NHS Tayside spokesperson said, “NHS Tayside’s Health Protection Team has been made aware of 19 cases of COVID-19 connected to Dover Fueling Solutions factory in Dundee.
“Contact tracing is ongoing and all close contacts identified have been given appropriate advice and advised to self-isolate. At this stage no further action is required.
“With the current high number of cases in the community in Dundee we would like to remind everyone that it is important to get tested whether you have symptoms or not, please continue to follow all public health guidance and get the vaccine when it is offered to you.”
What do bosses say?
A spokesperson from the petrol pump manufacturer said: "The safety, health and wellbeing of our employees is of paramount importance to Dover Fueling Solutions.
"We can confirm that a limited number of our employees have tested positive for COVID-19 during the last seven days, and they will remain in self-isolation for 10 days, as per the Scottish Government guidelines.
"Other individuals who may have come into contact with the affected employees are also in self-isolation as a precaution.
"It is our understanding that our employees who have tested positive are doing well and experiencing relatively minor symptoms at this time.
"Upon receiving the first of these positive test results, the company immediately put into effect its internal positive case protocol.
"This includes, but is not limited to, establishing and closing all areas in which the employees worked over the past 48 hours, completing a disinfecting deep-clean procedure, and initiating a contact tracing process among on-site staff.
"As an additional precaution, anti-viral fogging has taken place twice within the last week, during the night when the facility is closed.
"Our enhanced protocols also include extensive sanitation practices, one-way employee foot traffic and strict social distancing rules above and beyond what is recommended by the government.
"We are committed to adhering to the safety measures we have in place while we maintain a safe working environment for all of our employees."