Coronavirus Statement and FAQs
Coronavirus statement and FAQ
Why are your Distribution Centres (DCs) still open?
The health, safety and wellbeing of our people and customers is our number one priority and at the heart of everything we do at RS. A high number of our customers are in critical industries such as the public sector (including the NHS in the UK), food & beverage manufacturing, power generation, utilities and more recently ventilator production. We play a vital role in these customers’ supply chains, including the provision of personal, protective equipment (PPE) where stock allows. Many of our employees, particularly those working in our DCs, are fulfilling an important role in maintaining the flow of these essential supplies. While we continue to support these important organisations, we are adhering to advice from government health agencies including the World Health Organisation.
What measures have you put in place to protect your workers?
We are committed to following the government guidelines in respect to home working and have moved all of our non-DC staff to homeworking. This has not been an easy task given the condensed timelines, but it has been successful and we have had some amazing stories of people innovating to support our customers and being able to adapt to working from home.
Additional measures we have put in place to protect our employees include:
o For our workers that need to be on site to fulfil their vital role we have split shifts, to minimise contact
o Additional hand sanitisers and disinfectant for all work surfaces are provided
o Instructed employees on entry and exit to sanitise their hands which is being monitored by our security teams
o Increased our cleaning teams to include regular cleaning of frequent touch points on a continuous basis
o Making ‘Health & Safety’ and ‘Management’ teams more visible, reinforcing the social distancing and 2 metre distance rules
o Rearranging working areas, where practical. Where we have been unable to do so, we have changed our processes so that employees take turns to use an area
o Providing extra PPE for employees
o Restricted access to the DCs for all other personnel, contractors/visitors and stopping delivery drivers entering our premises
o Making mental health first aiders available (through our Employee Assistance Program) to provide emotional support where needed whilst encouraging and supporting our vulnerable people to self-isolate
o Implementing a robust reporting process aligned to global and local guidance that is reviewed by our H&S and risk teams regularly
o Closed our trade counter in Johannesburg
What is RS doing to support the nation and government during the current crisis?
A high number of our customers are in critical industries such as the public sector, food and beverage manufacturing, power generation and utilities. We play a vital role in these customers’ supply chains. We have received many requests from customers, who provide essential services (food producers, medical suppliers, utilities providers and more recently ventilator producers), requesting our assurance that we can continue to supply.
Is your Trade Counter in Midrand still open for business?
In accordance with Government’s announcement on the recent change in COVID-19 lockdown levels, our Trade Counter is temporarily closed for business. You can still place your orders online, via email or call us direct - we deliver anywhere in South Africa. If you are based in Johannesburg you can arrange collection from our local branch by contacting our customer service centre on 011 691 9300 or sales.za@rs-components.com.
Has there been a change to the opening hours of your customer service team?
No, our operating hours have remained from 8:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. This will cover emails, telephony and Live Chat.
We are working hard to continue to support our customers during the pandemic.
Why aren’t you providing the 4-6 day working delivery service anymore?
Due to global travel restrictions air freight has been severely impacted. This means that there are limited flights on an ad hoc basis into South Africa bringing in orders from various DCs around the world. This means that we cannot guarantee the 4-6 day delivery times that appear on the website. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes and as soon as we are able to receive regular shipments this service will become available once again.
What is your stock position on other PPE products?
We have invested significantly in those PPE products that we are seeing higher than usual demand for. These include: aprons, disposable gloves, hand cleaners and soaps, hand wipes, multi-purpose wipes, overalls, reusable respirators, reusable respirator accessories and safety goggles and more. Our stock levels change daily, and we are working closely with our suppliers to be able to meet the demands required in these unprecedented times. To check our stock levels on an item please visit our website or contact your local customer services team.
What about wider stock availability, do you anticipate any issues?
We hold a substantial depth of inventory. We have been in contact with all our suppliers to confirm the availability of stock and we are confident that we are currently in a strong position.
Are you prioritising stock for the impacted regions?
We are seeing a significant increase in demand for products such as face masks, hand gel and other PPE products. We’re working with our supplier partners and doing everything we can to maintain good levels of stock.
Do products coming from other countries present a contamination risk?
No, people receiving packages are not at risk of contracting COVID-19. From previous analysis, the World Health Organisation has stated that it does not survive long on objects such as letters or packages. We are waiting for further guidance on this and will update our guidance accordingly.
