Border Force officials carrying out passport and customs checks are being prevented from wearing face masks at work, staff claim, leaving them fearful that they must choose between their health or being disciplined. An order prohibiting officials from routinely wearing masks is said to have been given on 20 April. Some local managers had until then allowed staff to bring in and use their own protection. Two Border Force officials have died after contracting coronavirus in recent weeks. Only staff dealing with people who show symptoms of the virus or searching those clandestinely entering the country are provided with face masks. Managers have been told to ask staff to remove their masks in any other work situation, the Guardian understands. The Home Office did not deny the claim when it was put to a spokesman. The Immigration Services Union, representing officials working in the UK, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Dunkirk, Coquelles and Amsterdam, has advised its members to defy the Home Office, to which the Border Force answers. The force operates at air and sea ports and Eurotunnel and Eurostar junctions. In a circular sent to members on 25 April, the union writes: “We know many of you feel strongly that you should be able to wear face masks routinely at work in order to protect yourself and others from Covid-19 infections. We are therefore very worried that Border Force are preventing you from wearing your own face masks at work and in places threatening you with disciplinary action if you do try to wear a mask. “To say the least, this seems to us an aggressive and unreasonable attitude to take towards staff with genuine welfare concerns.” The union says it will support members who face issues with managers for wearing masks and “will not hesitate to bring employment tribunal actions”. It adds: “We do think it would be better for the Home Office to make standard provision for all, of course. However, they show no signs of doing this and we cannot ask members who are now anxious to wait for government procurement. If members have masks and wish to wear them, then they should. People should not be prevented from protecting themselves and others.” The union says the Employments Rights Act gives officials the right to protect themselves at work. “Therefore if you are persuaded on the balance of the scientific/public health evidence that you should bring a face mask to work and wear it, then you should do just that. We wish we could reassure that you will not face resistance from senior Border Force leaders. But we cannot.” UK government sources said staff bringing in masks to work would not face disciplinary action but managers would explain the current scientific advice to those concerned by the policy. Public Health England (PHE) currently recommends face masks for the NHS and in social care settings but does not advise healthy people to wear them outside. This week, Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced new guidance recommending that the Scottish public should wear face masks in enclosed spaces where physical distancing was difficult to achieve, for example while shopping or using public transport.
The British Medical Association has called on ministers to make wearing masks in public compulsory. Critics have accused the government of being slow to roll out the general use of masks for fear of exacerbating a shortage in the healthcare system. The union has raised the issue of a lack of protective equipment for Border Force staff with the home affairs select committee, which is preparing to hold a short inquiry into the government’s pandemic preparedness. A Home Office spokesman said: “The safety of the public and our staff is of the utmost importance. All guidance to staff on the use of personal protective equipment is based upon Public Health England’s guidance. All Border Force staff have all the necessary protective clothing and equipment available as per the PHE guidance for when they are in close contact with anyone displaying symptoms.”