No added coronavirus risk from incoming workers
A councillor has moved to reassure Perthshire residents that fruitpickers from outside the local area will add no extra risk to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tom McEwan, an elected member for Perth and Kinross Council’s Blairgowrie and the Glens ward, stressed farms in the region have put in place practices to keep themselves, their families, the workers and the public safe from transmission of coronavirus.
His comments follow an outbreak of COVID-19 among workers on a farm in England earlier this month.
Cllr McEwan, who lives near several soft fruit producers in Wester Essendy, said: “It is comforting to have guidelines from the Scottish Government providing advice to farmers on how our local berries can be harvested this year in a safe and controlled manner, while maintaining the necessary precautions and social distancing needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My family and I live on and between fruit farms at Wester Essendy and I am confident that the farms have been working hard to ensure that their accommodation, field stations, packhouse operations and worker transport meet these guidelines and that their pickers are fully aware of their responsibilities to each other and the community at large.
“It is the responsibility of each business to put safe systems of work in place – including provision of adequate information, training, instruction and supervision – and demonstrate that they can operate in a manner that prevents or minimises risks to worker safety and wellbeing, which includes travel to and from work consistent with established social distancing guidance.
“Staff members and contractors are fully briefed on safe working and social distancing practices and are supervised to ensure these are adhered to. They also have access to all relevant facilities and protective equipment. Records of the training provided and being understood by employees are being kept.
“Businesses, where they are able, should endeavour to demonstrate to their customers, the public and other stakeholders that their operations are fully compliant with safe working and social distancing procedures, through their website if applicable.
“Social distancing, hand washing, surface disinfection, using personal protective equipment when needed, face coverings and cohorts of staff who live and work together are all covered in the guidelines.
“Regular checks on each workers’ health status and isolating if symptomatic is also covered.”
Cllr McEwan added: “Caravan accommodation is considered to be a household and small groups of workers are cohorts who should always work together with social distancing.
“Other advice includes minimising the number of people who travel together in vehicles, staggering work patterns, washing and disinfecting hands before and after using transport, cycling and walking where possible and using physical shielding where distancing is not possible.”