Cover up

To help keep everyone safe and reduce our environmental impact, we’re issuing branded, reusable face masks for all colleagues.

Giving colleagues extra comfort, the face masks are available by request from your line manager and have started arriving at units across the UK. Every colleague is entitled to a pack of five masks. Disposable masks will still be available for those who prefer to wear them and for our casual employees.

Dr Shaun Davis, global director compliance and sustainability, spoke about the importance of face masks in his blog post on myroyalmail earlier this week, saying: ‘I must point out that it’s one thing to wear a face mask – but another to wear it properly. The face covering is meant to cover your mouth and nose. It is mandatory to wear face coverings in all our under-the-roof operations. This protects you and your colleagues. It protects you from the individual droplets you could inhale and others from those you might exhale.

‘It’s incredibly important you wear face coverings. In simple terms it protects you, it protects others and it protects us all from coronavirus.’

Face coverings are mandatory across the UK in all shops (including Post Offices) and when using public transport. Customer Service Points (CSPs) are classified as shops for the purposes of this guidance and therefore all customers using these facilities, as well as staff working in CSPs, will need to wear a face mask/covering. Colleagues who work in CSPs or collect/deliver within shops/Post Offices can obtain a facemask/covering from their manager and posters to display this requirement for customers are available on the SHE Coronavirus Document Library – Posters. The law provides discretion to people who have a health condition, a disability and other groups. These will not always be visible, so staff should continue to serve all who enter CSPs, including those not wearing face coverings. This also applies to employees who may be exempt from wearing a face covering/mask. To be effective, face masks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly, disposed of safely and used in combination with good universal hygiene behaviour. Even if you are wearing a mask it is important to maintain the two meters social distancing rule wherever possible and maintain good hand hygiene. Face coverings are mandatory across the UK in all shops (including Post Offices), when using public transport and in most public buildings. Customer service points (CSPs) are classified as shops for the purposes of this guidance and therefore all customers using these facilities, as well as colleagues working in CSPs, will need to wear a face mask or covering.

It is important to wear a clean mask each day and to change it during the day if it becomes wet.  Masks can be hand washed or washed in a washing machine at 60 degrees for up to 30 washes. Do not dry clean the masks or use fabric conditioner as these can leave residues on the materials, which should not be breathed in.

Click here to access all of our latest guidelines.