Government workers based in Leeds have been condemned after a picture emerged of employees breaking social distancing rules.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it has taken "urgent action” after inspectors found social distancing was not being enforced in its Quarry House building in Leeds.
Health and safety inspectors office and issued a Notice of Contravention after an image showed office staff gathered around a desk, which is also used by NHS staff.
According to the BBC, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspected on August 27 and its report said: “You are failing to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of your employees/agency staff at work because you have not implemented necessary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”
It said the DWP’s risk-assessed Covid-safe capacity for the office of 50 per cent full “may be ambitious and unrealistic”.
An HSE spokesman said: “We received a workplace concern and this has been processed in line with our concerns handling procedure. Following a site visit, a letter (Notification of Contravention) was sent to DWP.”
A DWP spokesman said: “We take the health and safety of staff extremely seriously, and have implemented Covid-secure measures across our sites to ensure they comply with government guidelines.
“We have taken urgent action to rectify all issues identified by the HSE.”
