Reply To: BREAKING: “Carry on testing”, says DVSA

[Mel Hakhnazarian]

I have shut the doors to my business on the 24th and sent the staff home for a minimum of 2 weeks paid. This is due to safety concerns for myself, my staff and my customers. We are in a high risk business, we are dealing with customers face to face, touching their keys, inner and outer door handles to their vehicles, their steering wheel, parking brake & other controls, gear selector, seat belts, almost everything that they’ve touched. This virus is being passed onto our tools, into our reception areas, onto telephones, computer keyboard, the PDQ machine and even worse into other customers vehicles. There is a higher risk of being an MOT tester as you’re touching everything. Gloves & masks don’t stop the spread. There’s no anti bacterial wipes or sanitiser left in the shops, I know as I’ve tried buying them for weeks! Safer at home then sick at work. I’ve cancelled over 100 jobs, half were MOT’s, we need the government to offer MOT grace for everyone, going for an MOT is not a necessary venture with limited vehicles on the road. How are customers going to pay for an MOT if they’re not in the reception area? who thinks up this nonsense, these are the rules;

Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home)
Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people (touching someone’s car is the same as shaking hands)
Wash your hands as soon as you get home