Deep clean carried out at Fife Royal Mail office after worker tests positive for Covid-19

Royal Mail has carried out a deep clean at a Fife delivery office after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19.

It is understood a woman working at the Dunfermline office received a positive test result at the weekend after being sent home from work.

Three other members of staff at the Woodmill Street depot have been notified and are self-isolating.

Royal Mail said it had put in place a range of measures to protect customers and colleagues and that staff had been briefed about social distancing.

Working practices were revised at the start of the pandemic to ensure staff were able to stay two metres apart.

A spokesperson said: “Royal Mail takes the health and safety of its colleagues, its customers and the local communities in which we operate very seriously.

“Following a positive test for coronavirus at the Dunfermline Delivery Office, we have carried out an enhanced clean of the building.

“Colleagues who worked with the individual have all been notified and are self-isolating.

“Throughout this crisis, every decision we make puts the health of our people and customers first.

“We have put in place a range of preventive measures to protect both our customers and our colleagues.

“As well as encouraging good hand hygiene, standard ways of working have been revised to ensure that colleagues stay two metres apart at all times.

“In addition there is only one person permitted in a Royal Mail delivery vehicle at any one time.

“All staff have been briefed about the social distancing measures jointly agreed by local management and the CWU.

“This has been supplemented with visible reminders such as posters and one-way floor markings.”

CWU union rep Graeme Birtley said: “First and foremost we wish our member a speedy recovery.

“The member affected had been in a period of self isolation following close contact with another person.

“On receiving this notification and in conjunction with our local Royal Mail managers we immediately carried out a socially distanced briefing of our members in the car park.

“Additionally a number of our other members who have recently been in close contact with the affected person have been advised to self isolate at home and book a COVID test.

“Arrangements have now been put in place to carry out a deep clean to parts of the building affected and this will also include a special clean of the delivery vehicle our member was using.

“Everybody else in the building has been advised to look out for COVID symptoms and if any are shown then they have been advised to self isolate and book a test without delay.

“Time will tell whether this is an isolated event or not and we really hope that no other confirmed cases come to light ”

The news comes a day after NHS Fife confirmed seven people with links to the driving school at the Police Scotland Training College in Tulliallan, including household contacts, had tested positive for the virus.

All the cases are said to have mild symptoms and are isolating at home.

Eight people with links to the Kinneuchar Inn in Kilconquhar have also tested positive, along with two with links to St Andrews University.