The first thing we do, lets kill all the lawyers
William Shakespeare
CHAPTER 71 PHONE HYGIENE
Alex.
See the attached. I have the lawyers on the case. They should tell us our liabilities in a few weeks and what we need to redesign at the launch site. Facilities for a visiting phone hygiene contractor at the very least.
But be aware this must impinge on space suit design and stuff like desk mikes in the control room. Also accommodation for cleaners and procuring easy clean phones.
I hear the MOD is starting an Electronic Hygiene Directorate at Chilwell in Nottingham to select cleaning contractors nationwide and manage the contracts. So that’s one more Colonel sitting in at our meetings.
They may come up with a standard acceptable design for phones, mikes and headsets eventually.
The space ships may come under the same legislation exemption as Navy ships otherwise we have to have phone cleaners in orbit.
Joe Hebron
1.
This policy memorandum is published under the authority of DG Fixed
Resources who is also the 4 star Discipline Lead for Safety, Health,
Environment and Fire (SHEF) matters within the Space Organisation,
and is authorised to act on behalf of CSO.
Background
2. Section 7 of reference E explains the general duty of the employer to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work. The Health Bill currently making its way through Parliament interprets this duty as encompassing the need to protect workers from the effects of non hygienic telephones. When passed, this bill will make it illegal to have unhygienic telephones in the workplace in England and Wales. It is expected that the Scottish Parliament will enact similar legislation in the near future.
The decision has been made at Government level that all Government Departments will have hygienic telephones, including those in Scotland pending the introduction of expected legislation in Scotland. The Secretary of State for Defence has agreed to this in principle thus making it MOD policy for all areas including Wales, Northern Ireland and overseas locations.
The MOD is aware of problems connected to personal radios and those fitted inside infantry, combat, tank crew and flying helmets. It is expected the Act will recognise this and that the above phones and microphones will be considered as personal mobile phones. They will therefore not be subject to the act unless they are a shared facility. Aircrew and tank crews will need additional training to comply with these regulations.
3. Consultations with Trade Union are currently in progress to consider the implications of the Bill and it’s early enactment on the MOD estate.
4. This memorandum will be followed by a policy instruction later this year, which will provide further details on the application of the Act to the Ministry of Defence.
Aim:
5.
The aim of this memorandum is to summarise the current position and
provide interim guidance to assist with the implementation of the act
across the organisation. A policy instruction will be issued by the
Centre.
Legislation
6. The Health Act will completely ban unhygienic telephones in the vast majority of public workplaces.
7. The Act will create two offences that may impact on the SO and people working within the SO Estate.
Offence of having an unhygienic telephone in the workplace
Offence of failing to prevent employees operating proper hygiene standards in the workplace.
A third offence is connected with the failure to display “Keep Phones Clean” signs where appropriate
Current policy:
8.
Current MOD policy can be found in JTPD 2591, volume 7 leaflet 34
(reference F), this will be subject to review to reflect the
requirements of the Health Act when it is passed. Some revision has
already occurred to reflect the impending impact of the legislation
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