Laundry
Contingency requirements for laundry processing for all Public Sector Prisons during the COVID-19 situation have been issued by PSPI Laundry.
- Sites with a Covid-19 outbreak: The establishment should use water soluble (Alginate) bags for all of the linen in the affected accommodation unit, and for all persons using affected cells. All bedding, towels and Prison issue clothing should be placed in these bags, sealed, and then placed in a red banded laundry bag Item number 1521 (or a normal laundry hamper which is then identified with a wide red band). This Laundry will go as normal to an existing laundry for processing. No soiled items should be disposed of through waste management units. Water soluble bags are avaliable from Branston item number 2058.
- Where sites are closed down due to staffing/prisoner workforce shortages: Contact should be made at the earliest opportunity to the laundry team at PSPI so we can direct laundry to other establishments. All work from your establishment will then be either classed as infected or normal, and the receiving laundry will undertake the processing of all Prison issue kit. At this point it may be returned washed, dried and folded but NOT pressed due to available time.
- Where staffing / prisoners are not available to process work: Where work is sent to another industrial Prison laundry the work may be washed, dried, folded and returned as quickly as possible to your site. However, it is extremely likely that the return time for laundry will be extended and it is recommended that you look at your available stock levels to make sure that there is sufficient kit available to cover a 7 day duration at a minimum. Please place orders in the normal way where required, but do not over order as such orders will not be processed.
Return to business as usual: Where an establishment has staff and prisoner workers available to return to work and re-open their laundry, contact should be made at the earliest opportunity with PSPI laundry team to allow a return of laundry processing to your site (if you are a processing site). If additional hours can be worked please contact PI laundry team to advise.