Readers reacted with shock on Tuesday when the ECHO published an image showing staff crammed into Matalan's Liverpool warehouse.
As fears over the deadly coronavirus grow ever greater across Merseyside and the rest of the UK - and the number of cases growing in our region growing even faster - it's no wonder people are frightened by pictures like this.
But sadly, the Matalan case, which the firm itself described as “concerning”, doesn't appear to have been a one off.
Since publishing that story, hundreds of people working at companies around Liverpool and the surrounding towns and villages have contacted us to report similar things happening where they work.
While the ECHO team is busy looking into many of these allegations, and we are aware not all will be valid complaints, it's worth saying that many are truly shocking, and allege employers are not taking seriously the very real threat posed by the virus.
Allegations received by the ECHO include:
Up to 70 staff sitting on one “small” floor of an office block with no ventilation. The same complainant alleges cleaners are using “one sponge and one bucket for five floors”, and reusing antibacterial wipes. The desks at this office are allegedly “caked with dust”.
Staff taking chocolates from the same box, raising fears over hygiene.
A prominent Liverpool firm employing hundreds of people refusing to close its doors and not giving office staff the choice to work at home. A source said employees were working “within inches” of each other.
Staff being crammed into a corridor waiting to use a ‘clock off’ machine. It’s alleged hand gel was not available at the time and staff were not following social distancing procedures.
A company allegedly telling employees with clear underlying health conditions such as cancer and “severe heart issues” to continue coming into work.
A firm allocating just three toilets and two urinals for “100 people”. Staff have written to the ECHO saying both that there is no available hand gel - or that it is watered down.
At another office, staff ignoring social distancing measures and, when raising concerns with employers, being told they “will not be paid if they go off” - despite sharing homes with “very vulnerable people”.
A member of staff coming back to work after isolation but needing to isolate again, claiming his employers would “only pay for one” and that the second period off work would be unpaid.
A mother being told she would not be paid for leave to care for her children while schools are closed - and that she would have to “buy extra holiday” to cover it.
Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s historic “lockdown” speech on Monday, most businesses across the UK were told to shut, with people urged to work from home if they can.
But the government did not explicitly order all firms to close - and there are still numerous organisations where people are allowed to continue coming to work.
These are mostly classed as those offering “essential services”.
However it appears other sectors such as online retail can remain operational from its warehouses for now.
Construction sites are also still operating too, with staff instructed to follow social distancing guidelines.
Here’s a lowdown of the businesses forced to close down after Mr Johnson’s plea to the public to stay home as much as possible.
The government says it will reassess the situation after three weeks and relax the rules if the evidence shows this is possible - and any business that breaches the rules will be subject to prohibition notices and potentially unlimited fines.
