Please note: If you have an apostrophe in your name, please don't include the apostrophe on the payment page
News
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 14th April 2020
Telephone order possible scam warning (14/04/2020)
There have been at least 2 reports this morning from our members about a possible telephone scam.
A lady (called Julie) called to order sirloin and ribeyes in large quantities (80-100kg) and asks if you accept credit cards. She states that they are for “care homes” down south and that she will send a courier company to collect.
Please be extra vigilant at this time when we are all dealing with a huge increase in telephone ordering and payments.
A joint statement with the Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland.
HSE eBulletin
Coronavirus – A joint statement with the Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland.
Please see details below.
This is an extremely worrying time for businesses and workers. We know many workers, union reps and employers have questions and concerns about safe working – especially for those continuing to attend a place of work away from their homes.
This statement by the Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland (PHASS) is intended to clarify the position. The health and safety of workers remains paramount. Employers are and must continue to provide workers with information about risks to their health and the actions their employers must take.
Protective Visors, gloves and facemasks.
We have received further calls about PPE for use in the food industry. The current advice we have from Food Standards Scotland is that Visors, gloves, and facemasks are not currently a legal requirement in the food industry in relation to COVID 19.
The advice is that regular handwashing following the recognised handwashing procedures is sufficient. They point out that any available PPE of this sort are currently being prioritised for the NHS and care sectors.
The most up to date advice from FSS can be found here: –
ENSURING APPROPRIATE USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
• Standard Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must continue to be worn as required, in line with the existing health and safety and first aid requirements of the food business. However, HPS advises that the use of additional PPE specifically for COVID-19 should only be required in settings where there is a higher level of contamination risk through respiratory secretions from potentially infected individuals (i.e. healthcare). In light of existing Fitness to Work measures and current restrictions this is unlikely to be a scenario that will routinely be encountered in food production settings, as all symptomatic individuals should be self-isolating in accordance with Government guidance. HPS recommends that based on current advice, it should not be necessary for businesses to implement additional PPE as a standard requirement across their operations.
• It has been recognised in guidance published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that PPE such as masks and gloves can have a role to play in reducing the spread of infection within the food industry, but only if they are used properly and in appropriate situations. Robust hygiene measures, coupled with physical (social) distancing wherever possible, continue to be the most important measures for food businesses to apply for preventing the spread of COVID-19. It is acknowledged that there may be specific defined tasks within a food business where physical (social) distancing presents a particular challenge, and it may be appropriate to take additional precautions. These may include the use of facemasks or other PPE such as is used in high care/risk food manufacture. However, widespread use of PPE should never be considered as an acceptable alternative to hygiene and distancing measures.
• There are several additional reasons why widespread use of facemasks is not recommended for the food industry at the present time:
 Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England advise that facemasks should not be used outside of clinical and care settings, as the evidence for their effectiveness against the spread of COVID-19 in non-healthcare workplaces is not proven.
 Facemasks carry their own training, usage, and disposal requirements to minimise the risk of them becoming a source of contamination. Staff who are not accustomed to wearing facemasks may be less likely to:
 Ensure they are fitted and worn properly;  Change them at regular intervals;  Handle and dispose of them hygienically.
 Ill-fitting face masks and the build-up of condensation can cause the wearer discomfort, increasing the likelihood that they will touch their face and the potential for spreading infection.
• For the reasons outlined above, food businesses will need to carry out a health and safety risk assessment to determine the need for additional PPE in specific circumstances, against potential negative impacts of their inappropriate application, including consideration of any additional training requirements.
Steaks and Roasts Promotions
During out regular discussions with other stakeholders in the meat industry it has become clear that customers have prioritised the purchase of mince and stew and cuts from the forequarter.
Wholesalers are reporting that they have higher than normal levels of prime cuts from the hindquarter.
This is something we have agreed to help promote the purchase of steaks and roasts through social media.
Quality Meat Scotland have started a media campaign to encourage people to try new recipes and cuts of meat that they would not normally cook. Look out for this in the media.
—Scotch Beef and Lamb Promotion
Example in the Daily Record published today 14-04-2020
We will always try to provide tips, advice and cooking tips with each post, these are all available on the members website for you to print off and issue to your customers.
If you are offering promoting steaks or roasts, please highlight the availability of the guides.
There is also a social media campaign currently running to promote “Great British Steak Night”.
Furloughed employees update
Subject to successful testing, we understand the new portal for claiming payments for furloughed workers will go live on 20 April. The aim is for HMRC to start making payments to businesses from 30 April.
We have had numerous enquiries from members asking about employees who have been advised to “shield” or employees who live with someone who is “shielding”. The guide so far was that neither would qualify for the furlough scheme.
Our employment lawyers, Lindsays, have now updated their FAQs section:-
The guidance now states that:
– employees unable to work because they are shielding in line with public health guidance
– employees unable to work because they need to stay at home with someone who is shielding
can be furloughed.
I stress that this relates to employees/family members who are shielding not just those in vulnerable groups. Shielded employees will have received or will receive a letter from the NHS confirming this.
The full FAQs document can be found here:-
The Scottish Craft Butchers office in Perth is now closed following government guidelines.
We will be available to our members to answer any queries via email or by mobile phone and will be available out of office hours for any members wanting to contact us.
Our contact details are below
Gordon King: – [email protected] 07917524313
Bruce McCall: [email protected] 0783449
Attachments:
• lindsays_furlough_update_10-04-2020.pdf