Hospital Custodians Express COVID-19 Concerns

Since the coronavirus pandemic began many frontline workers have expressed their safety concerns at their place of work, including hospital custodians, one of the groups most at risk for contracting the virus. Yale Daily News spoke with six Yale Health custodians on the condition of anonymity regarding their concerns about inadequate safety measures, pay, and lack of communication about testing protocols.

The custodians said patients with COVID-19 symptoms who come to Yale Health in New Haven, Connecticut are told to take the service elevator to keep the virus out of public elevators. However, Yale Health custodial staff use the service elevator to transport cleaning supplies.

One custodian does not use the service elevator anymore for fear of contracting the virus and warns other co-workers not to either. Another custodian said patients are constantly on the elevator “back-to-back,” adding, “We’re frontline, we’re doing the cleaning. I know the doctors and stuff are going in, but I believe we’re in there the majority of the time cause we’re actually cleaning.”

The six custodians said they did not participate in Yale’s asymptomatic screening program because their Yale emails are not set up, so they did not know the testing was an option. “The dining hall workers, they get tested every week. Custodial don’t get tested unless you actually get it or feel funny or you get some symptoms. I’ve been here since March and I haven’t gotten tested once,” added a custodian.

The custodians said the hospital has provided them with personal protective equipment (PPE) like blue surgical masks, latex gloves, and face shields, but not N-95 masks, which offer greater protection.

The custodians also said Yale University stopped offering them hazard pay in June due to a policy change. They were receiving time-and-a-half from March to June. “No one cares and that’s the big thig, that’s the whole thing. No one cares about us,” said one custodian.

In a statement to the Yale Daily News, university spokesperson Karen Peart said that hospital staff are notified of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients, and whether any employees came into close contact with them. Peart also said staff should be aware of the voluntary testing program the university offers through information from emails and supervisors. She also added that Yale Health employees were given eye protection like googles or face shields and received a small gift of fabric masks and hand sanitizer in June. In regard to the pay issue, Peart said about 200 service and maintenance staff receive full pay and benefits without coming into work—those who are 65 or older, or with underlying health risks.