Poundstretcher bosses have been slammed for sending staff 'Blue Peter’ style instructions to build protective kit.
The company’s Director of Health and Safety - Martin Crapper - sent all stores an email and photos outlining how to knock-up shoddy till barriers.
But staff accused the company of “putting profits before health” and claimed the scheme was an “amateur attempt at safety” that “stinks of cost cutting.”
The issue was highlighted by a whistleblower who forwarded on Mr Crapper’s message.
The memo includes comical instructions with annotated photographs showing staff how to make three different screens.
The equipment needed includes cable ties, hole punches, plastic sheets and double-sided sticky tape - made popular by Blue Peter presenters whenever they made crafts on the popular children’s TV show.
The screens are supposed to help protect serving staff against airborne coronavirus droplets.
The whistleblower, who wished to remain nameless, said staff are furious at Poundstretcher’s attitude toward its workforce.
They said: “This company is all about cutting corners and saving money and they are now putting profit before the health of their staff.
“This is nothing more than a project you’d see on Blue Peter or in a primary school.
“We’re talking about people’s lives here. Shop staff across Scotland are on the frontline of this battle against the virus - why make it more dangerous?
"It is cost cutting and amateurish in its most basic form."
Mr Crapper sent the emails to all store managers and teams on Wednesday.
It said: “Please find attached guide to self installation of till point screens. These will help protect both employees and customers during the Covid 19 pandemic.”
He also revealed that rather than being a tried and tested professional, health and safety based design, the till barriers were the brainchild of other workers.
His memo added: “Thank you to all the store managers who have come up with these ideas and implemented them - superb and fantastic effort, much appreciated.”
He suggested using parts of old shop displays, graphics holders and ‘dump bins’ to make the screens and claimed that “self assembly brings the benefit of speed and efficiency.”
One of the “Blue Peter” style options included the instructions: “Cut the middle out, use the card to make 2 triangle legs. Put a slit halfway down the middle of the leg and another slit on the bottom of the header to attach the feet without tape or adhesive, use double sided tape to attach the plastic PSO holder to the back of the header.”
The Record has established that other retailers including Spar and Sainsburys, used experienced shopfitting teams to construct barriers with perspex to protect till staff.
Poundstretcher is based in Leicestershire and is a non-unionised business.
It is part of a chain that includes Bargain Buys and Pet Hut and has about 500 stores across the UK.
It employs 6,000 people and claims to offer over 5,000 products at some of the lowest prices on the high street.
We attempted to contact Mr Crapper and Poundstretcher for comment by phone and email on Friday, but they failed to respond.
