A DROITWICH firm says it is staying open during the coronavirus crisis but monitoring the situation “very closely”, after concerns were raised by workers at the branch.

This paper has been told by an employee that they are “very worried” about going to work at Doncasters Precision Castings, adding they were putting their health in danger every day “for fear of losing my job”.

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Meanwhile this paper has also been told that other staff at the Vines Lane-based firm were told they would need to work longer hours to cover staff absent during the pandemic - a claim disputed by the firm.

A spokesman for the firm, which produces investment cast and engine ready, machined, industrial gas turbine blades in nickel and cobalt-based super-alloys, said it was in the manufacturing sector that is not subject to a temporary shut down.

The spokesman said: “The government has stated that individuals who are not able to work from home are still able to travel to and from their place of work.

“Doncasters' facilities manufacture parts which are considered important to maintain several critical-infrastructure industries and remains committed to continuing to supply those parts providing we can continue to provide a safe working environment, subject to the enhanced measures we are taking to protect our employees and current government health advice.

“We have taken a number of steps to protect colleagues still working at all of our facilities, including but not limited to: rearranging works areas in order to maintain a minimum of two metres distance between employees, issuing hand sanitiser, masks and gloves to employees who are passing parts back and forward, limiting the number of people able to gather in one place, making appropriate cleaning materials available for colleagues to clean down their areas and equipment before and after use, self-isolation rooms in case of illness on site and processes and procedures for dealing with any colleague reporting COVID-19 symptoms.

“Provided colleagues follow the guidance and measures put in place to protect them, they should be reassured that they are following the latest government advice regarding safety.

“Employees with concerns are welcome to discuss them with the site management team.

“Safety has always been a priority.

“Nobody has been instructed to work longer hours.

“If a point was reached where we did not believe that we could operate safely or within the government’s most recent guidance, we would not hesitate to pause production and close the site until either the general situation improves or further measures could be taken to improve safety.”