Un covid safe workplace

I recently started a job in a government building and I could not believe it when I was shown my workspace. It is basically a workspace for one person with two of us in it. I'm working with a man who's probably ten years older than me - late 40s who is nice enough. To get to my desk space I have to squeeze past him and then sit in the corner. We are in a room by ourselves and it doesn't appear there is room for us to work anywhere else in the building.

I haven't mentioned anything to him but I am trying to work out whether this set up is sustainable for me and if I have any options? Our chairs are less than 30cm apart.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you

Does not sound compliant to me.

We've had whole desks marked as unable to be used because they don't meet social distancing requirements.

Do you have an OH&S team you can ask for the policy from?

I may have to delete image for privacy later. Just to give an idea

I once shared an enclosed office the size of a toilet cubicle... I wouldn’t want to be doing that these days!

It's tricky because I honestly can't see another place where we can work so I feel like i am just going to have to suck it up. But in the many years I have worked I have never sat this close to anyone.

I once shared an enclosed office the size of a toilet cubicle... I wouldn’t want to be doing that these days!

That sounds awful! Any tips?

I work for the government. We were open to the public all through corona. Our team leader got a tape measure out to ensure the 1.5 m distance. We even had to all have our drawers the same side of our desk for consistent measurement. We have tape marks on the floor where customer’s chairs have to be. And our smaller interview rooms have a limit of 3 to them. I had to seek permission where I had a situation where I needed 4 in the room.

Does not sound compliant to me.

We've had whole desks marked as unable to be used because they don't meet social distancing requirements.

Do you have an OH&S team you can ask for the policy from?

I haven't found them yet. But there will be someone around. There is also a habit of keeping the outside door ajar which seems bizarre when the security around the building is pretty tight. I think I need to mention that too.

I work for the government. We were open to the public all through corona. Our team leader got a tape measure out to ensure the 1.5 m distance. We even had to all have our drawers the same side of our desk for consistent measurement. We have tape marks on the floor where customer’s chairs have to be. And our smaller interview rooms have a limit of 3 to them. I had to seek permission where I had a situation where I needed 4 in the room.

That sounds wonderful!!

Obviously state requirements vary, however, I can tell you that this is not compliant, and I would say something, or start wearing a mask. ALL. THE. TIME.

just to make a point.

You work in corrections, don’t you?

I know the area from your crappy time moving. I have heard some interesting stories come out of the prisons local to that area from correction officers.

I once shared an enclosed office the size of a toilet cubicle... I wouldn’t want to be doing that these days!

 

That sounds awful! Any tips?

Luckily we also had a lab... if he was in the office for an extended period of time I’d just go do random jobs (or dance to the radio) in the lab instead, or if we both had a lot of writing up to do, one or both of us would do it from home instead. The flexibility was important.

No way. Ours have to be 1.5 meters apart, or have a partition wall in between. We are only allowed 1 person per pair of desks in my section as they are a little too close (probably 1m but with our backs to each other). We work from home part time to accommodate this.

Other departments are allowing that distance with backs facing each other though.

Can they put a partition up in between? Or can you take turns working from home?

You work in corrections, don’t you?

I know the area from your crappy time moving. I have heard some interesting stories come out of the prisons local to that area from correction officers.

Ha ha yes I remember that you're a local up here I think. Not corrections but very close don't want to be too identifying.

No way. Ours have to be 1.5 meters apart, or have a partition wall in between. We are only allowed 1 person per pair of desks in my section as they are a little too close (probably 1m but with our backs to each other). We work from home part time to accommodate this.

Other departments are allowing that distance with backs facing each other though.

Can they put a partition up in between? Or can you take turns working from home?

That sounds really nice and like my previous workplace. If I had known the awful office space I would have seriously considered not taking the job. The workplace culture is such that I'm reluctant to speak up... Any chance a 'random' covid safe check by another agency could occur!?

I may have to delete image for privacy later. Just to give an idea

WTF? That is insanity.

There's no way that's covid safe, or (in my opinion) suitable for any workplace.

DH and I share a desk at home and even we're not that close!!

I wouldn't want that setup in pre-covid times!

I'd kick up a stink if I did that to me, but I have that luxury because I've been where I am a while.

Are you a member of the union? I'm sure they'd be interested.

Can you find your workplace's CovidSafe plan on the intranet or posted anywhere? If they have physical distancing as a component of that plan, you could point out that your workspace is non- compliant to the HR department. You could also raise it with your manager at a probation/induction meeting if you are having those regularly. I understand not wanting to make a fuss when you have just started though. Depending on which state you are in, there are mechanisms for anonymous reporting, e.g. in NSW there is an app to allow anonymous reporting to SafeWork.

You should raise this with your manager-tell me that you’ve noticed the workstation doesn’t appear to be compliant with Covid Safe guidelines and you have been thinking about options about “how we can address this” (use “we” as that will show you are being collaborative and it might help not to get their back up. Not that raising this issue should get their back up but we know that it not always the reality, especially if you’re the new kid) and you have a few ideas. Share suggestions like putting a Perspex barrier on the desk between you or working on an alternate roster office/home. Ask them what they may have implemented elsewhere for other staff.

And good luck. It seems some workplaces are a lot better at this than others...

No way. That is seriously negligent.

Our office has taped off every second desk and rostered days when each staff member can come into the office as we don't all fit now.

Can you request alternate days in the office and WFH so there is only ever one of you in that space?

I'm bordering on a panic attack just looking at that.

I couldn't do that even without Covid!

Thank you everyone for your replies. I have had a look to see whether there is a number I could call so perhaps the workplace as a whole could be assessed to see if it's meeting current covid worksafe conditions. I haven't found anything yet.

I know that I should raise this directly with my boss (who hired me and sits next to me) but I really don't want to rock the boat. Such irony that it's a government organisation.

Hopefully I can suck it up and become used to this new normal (haha). Really regretting not staying at my old job. I'm unsure whether the extra 20k a year is worth these conditions!