Safety concerns raised after Covid 'outbreak' at Magnet warehouse in Darlington

Workers at the Magnet site on Allington Way have alleged safety measures are being ignored including a lack of social distancing – although the firm says it has a 'robust' safety plan in place.

The kitchen maker, owned by Nobia, confirmed five of its workers have tested positive at the site as it said the health and safety of staff is its “number one priority”.

But speaking to The Northern Echo, workers have raised concerns about social distancing at the company and one said they were “scared” to continue working.

A worker, who did not want to be identified, said a number of people had been sent home with Covid symptoms following the positive tests this week and claimed some bosses were not enforcing social distancing.

Nobia / Magnet Picture: ALEXA FOX/NORTHERN ECHO

She said: “It’s really bad, the company doesn’t seem bothered about it.
“In the factory, there’s no markings on floor, the health and safety manager has just told us to keep your distance, and that’s it.

“You can see everyone gathering around the clocking in and out machines, and you’ve got people stood together in the smoking area, not distancing.

“They are just not enforcing anything – it should be shut and closed down for at least two weeks because it is just going to keep spreading across the workforce.”

Another worker, who said he had been left “scared” to come into work, said he did not believe Magnet were taking the precautions needed to prevent an outbreak.

He said that staff are able to enter the site without temperature checks as he said staff had been told it is up to each individual to maintain social distance.

He said: “They should have health and safety in place but they don’t have any. We’ve been told that its up to us to social distance, and they do nothing about it.

“There’s a factory nearby and they do regular temperature checks, whereas we walk straight in, they can’t be bothered to do stuff like that to keep people safe – I am quite scared as I have family members who are vulnerable.

“There’s a number of people here trying to do the right thing, but you can see nothing is being done about it.”

In a letter sent to workers on Tuesday confirming there had been an outbreak in the ‘East Warehouse’, staff were told the transmission could have originated in the office area.

Workers were given this letter following the outbreak Picture: CONTRIBUTOR

A spokesperson for Darlington Borough Council confirmed it had been made aware of the outbreak by the kitchen maker.

In response to the allegations, Magnet said it had developed a “robust safety plan”, which include social distancing, one-way systems, staggered start, finish and break times, removal of doors and gates to remove touch points in high traffic areas, and that it had implemented additional daily cleaning.

It also said it had developed its own internal track and trace system to identify “potential risks” and where necessary had asked people to self-isolate on full pay.

Although it confirmed five workers had tested positive for Covid over a 14 day period, the firm did not confirm how many staff had been told to self-isolate as a result of the outbreak.

Nobia / Magnet Picture: ALEXA FOX/NORTHERN ECHO

The company went on to say that it was "following" guidance from the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency which advises against temperature checks, saying it can "give a false sense of security."

A company spokesperson added: “Our supervisors ensure all safety measures are implemented but it’s also the responsibility of everyone to follow safety guidelines when at work as they would at home.

“We’ve provided training and support for all our team about social distancing, how to report any concerns that they may have and we are confident that everyone knows how to follow all safety measures we have in place.

“Despite this, like many manufacturers, we’ve had a few confirmed cases of Covid-19 at the site.

“As a responsible manufacturer and in line with current guidelines we have reported this to Public Health England.

“Our immediate priority has been to make sure any affected team members, including those that need to self-isolate, are being supported and we’re confident we have this in hand.

“We understand this is an unsettling and incredibly worrying time for everyone, but would like to reassure our team, their friends and families and the wider community in Darlington that we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep everyone safe.”