The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Factory in the clear after police visit
Bosses at a Perthshire chicken factory have insisted full safeguards are in place to protect staff after complaints from neighbours prompted a visit from police.
The 2 Sisters Food Group strongly rejected accusations it was not following safety guidelines at its Coupar Angus processing plant.
Nearby residents had complained staff were not self-distancing when they came out of the George Street building at the start and end of their shifts.
The complaints led to inquiries by the Health and Safety Executive and Police Scotland, who visited the plant earlier this week.
However, officers said they were happy the factory was complying with government-issued advice.
A spokeswoman for 2 Sisters said:
“We already introduced a raft of measures when this national crisis escalated around March 15, at extremely short notice, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our colleagues.
“We are pleased that people are feeling reassured about the measures we have taken to protect our colleagues during this unprecedented and fastmoving situation.”
The firm said Covid-19 posed a considerable challenge, with unparalleled levels of demand for products.
It led to boss Ronald Kers issuing a plea for new staff to help keep production running to help “feed the nation”.
Action taken at the Coupar Angus site includes staggered staff breaks and an increased smoking area, as well as new shift patterns to reduce congestion and new entrance and exit routes.
There is also more control on issuing protective equipment and hand washing is closely monitored.
Police said they found workers were complying with social distancing rules.