A call centre firm has been suspended from running the government’s coronavirus helpline after the Mirror discovered its staff were sitting less than two metres apart.
An urgent investigation was launched tonight into AGO Outsourcing, which had around 200 staff working on the National Shielding Helpline as a subcontractor of Serco.
Workers at the firm’s call centre in East Kilbride were told “there may be occasions” where bosses cannot keep two metres between them.
Yet those taking a £9-an-hour job on the helpline – which helps 1.5million vulnerable people in England staying at home – were asked to sign a waiver, absolving the firm of any blame if they get sick.
Approached for comment yesterday by the Mirror, a senior AGO manager said some staff spend a whole shift sitting between one and two metres apart.
He insisted the firm was following social distancing rules – because Scottish guidelines say there are some circumstances where key workers may sit between one and two metres apart.
But after we approached the UK government for comment this afternoon, it asked Serco to launch an urgent investigation within hours.
AGO then withdrew the waiver after a request by Serco, a government spokesman said.
Late tonight, the government then said Serco had suspended AGO from taking part in the helpline calls entirely pending the outcome of the investigation.
(Image: anonymous / supplied to the Mirror)
A government spokeswoman told the Mirror: “We take these allegations extremely seriously and have asked our contractor Serco to urgently investigate.
“We understand they have already asked AGO to withdraw the waiver.
“We set high standards for our contract providers which explicitly stipulate coronavirus workplace guidance must be followed at all times.”
According to the document seen by the Mirror, staff were asked to sign below the words: “I hereby understand that there may be a risk to my health where there is a shortfall in the recommended 2 metre social distancing.
“I also agree that any continuity to work under these conditions are purely my choice and I accept that no liability lies with AGO.”
Branded with AGO’s logo and the words “ethics, positivity, passion, professionalism, respect”, the document added: “Whilst we will work hard to ensure employees have all tools to protect themselves, AGO excludes liability for any detriment, deterioration in health or any claims that may arise due to the shortfall in the 2 metre recommended social distance.”
UK social distancing guidelines say people should keep two metres apart to stop the spread of Covid-19.
But when we approached AGO for comment yesterday, chief operations manager Stephen Rafferty said the firm was following guidelines by the Scottish government.
(Image: PA)
Those rules say workers must be kept two metres apart where possible, but if “the task is essential, the distance between workers can be reduced to no less than one metre.”
Mr Rafferty told the Mirror the firm is “very strict in operating within the guidelines” and took “a lot of measures” to keep staff safe – but he insisted that as “key workers”, staff can be kept as little as one metre apart.
He also defended the waiver – saying staff knew they would be at some risk when they took the job.
One person who worked inside the centre claimed working conditions were “atrocious”.
They told the Mirror: “I’m spending all day on the phone to people that are obviously scared and vulnerable, saying don’t you go outside, keep your distance, you are not supposed to see family, you are not supposed to see friends.”
The insider claimed “multiple people” had complained about working conditions, but many signed the waiver because they needed cash.
“Quite a few people who took up a job have been desperate for money because they missed the government’s furlough scheme,” they said.
The line helps 1.5million people in England who have been told to avoid all social contact – including those with cancer and cystic fibrosis. Call handlers check on their welfare and whether they have enough food and medicine.
(Image: Getty Images)
Photos seen by the Mirror appear to show each call handler working in a small booth separated by dividers which do not reach the top of all workers’ heads.
Mr Rafferty claimed “maybe one, two heads if you’re lucky” stick out but said some people had their chairs pumped up too high.
The undated photos also do not show staff wearing masks, but Mr Rafferty insisted masks and gloves are available to all staff.
The insider told the Mirror that on the day shift, they had only seen cleaners come round once per day at around 5pm. Mr Rafferty said this was untrue, and that cleaners came three times a day – disinfecting work stations, door handles, kitchen areas and more.
Mr Rafferty said workers’ booths were “just above the metre” apart in some cases.
Asked to confirm if workers’ desks and chairs are between one and two metres apart, all day long, he replied: “Some of them are.”
But he defended the distance saying people were “fully shielded”. He added: “The guidelines state that that’s what we should do and that is what we do. We’re very strict in operating within the guidelines. We do not breach the guidelines.”
Mr Rafferty added the firm “consulted legal advice” before drawing up the waiver, saying: “We didn’t take any existing employees and say ‘if you want paid, you need to work, and you need to sign this so we’re off the hook’.”
He added: “Every single person working here has been onboarded specifically for this project, so the call centre was empty.
“Everybody who applied for the job knew they were going to have to come from outwith their own home, were going to have to put themselves at risk by not self-isolating.
“We just had to make them aware that if you choose to look for a job, come out during this time to support Covid-19, then you are putting yourself at a certain risk.
“We must as a business make them aware of that risk and make them aware that if they choose to do it, that’s a decision that they and only they can make.”
He said the firm is “putting itself in the front line to try to help people”. He added: “It’s easy to fly under the radar and furlough and stay home, but we wanted as a business to get involved and do something and contribute to this.”
