A "small" number of staff at Salisbury's waste collection depot are currently self-isolating.

Hills Waste Solutions, which manages the depot, had already defended its Covid secure measures after a number of workers told the Journal in April last year that social distancing was not being enforced.

In the past few weeks, reports of a Covid-19 outbreak at the London Road site have emerged but the firm insists all precautionary measures are being taken.

Wiltshire Council confirmed only "a small number" of Hills employees are affected but it didn't specify the exact number.

The council also said that arrangements to provide financial support to those required to self-isolate have been put in place.

What does Hills say?

The company has issued a statement on its website to reassure "concerned members of the public".

In it, bosses recognise that reducing the size of crews is not possible but argue that staff are working in bubbles and social distancing is in place "at all times".

The statement says: "Hills closely follows the guidance from Government, Public Health England, the NHS and the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum and has done so since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

"This guidance has been regularly reviewed and continues to state that good hygiene is the most important control in preventing the spread of COVID-19, combined with cleaning hard surfaces in vehicles regularly.

"Our crews are encouraged to wash their hands regularly, not touch their eyes, nose or mouth and, where possible, keep the cab ventilated by opening the windows on both sides of the vehicle by at least 10 centimetres.

"If any employee has symptoms of COVID-19 (or if someone in their household has symptoms) they are told not to come to work and to arrange to take a COVID-19 test and follow government procedures.

"The WISH guidance recognises that for large rural counties such as Wiltshire, it is not possible to restrict crew sizes without having a significant impact on waste and recycling collections.

"The crews also work in small ‘bubbles’ wherever possible and follow social distancing guidelines at all times whilst at the depot.

"By strictly following this guidance and practice, the frontline waste and recycling collections have been able to continue to operate."

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