The council is facing a staffing crisis if the coronavirus outbreak leads to more workers in isolation.

With workers in isolation some essential services are under severe pressure and a call has been made for staff to volunteer to be ready to switch to priority roles to keep delivering core functions in the coming weeks and months.

And the Lord Provost has appealed to businesses to donate any surplus supplies of protective equipment including face masks to keep staff and the public safe.

A call has been issued to staff to fill in for posts in key services like bin collectors and crematorium staff as well as care of the elderly and cleaners, should they see large scale absence.

The list includes drivers, refuse collectors, crematoria staff, LGV drivers, frontline management and supervision, business support, catering, cleaning, janitorial, home carers, older persons residential support workers.

The notice to all council staff states: “We are now seeking additional volunteers from across the full council family to help us plan to meet any future critical demand.

“Staff volunteers will be needed to help work across our priority areas in Public Health, Social Care and Education.”

Since the outbreak hit Glasgow many workers, following the guidelines, have had to isolate and take time off work.

The call for volunteers to switch roles is to “help to continue to deliver essential services” and to cope with “future demand”.

Staff have been told they should now have been made aware if their job is contributing to “essential services”.

If not they are asked to consider “volunteering within another essential service area to help us work to keep the city moving”.

Staff who volunteer to switch will be aid at their normal grade if they are asked to do a job which is paid at a lower wage level.

Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council said: “We will do everything in our power to make sure that we continue to deliver essential services to our citizens and with an increase in absences due to self-isolation and sickness we have to look at every option available and plan for the coming weeks or months.

“This includes the redeployment of council staff whose jobs are not currently battling the spread of COVID-19.

“So today we have appealed to our employees to sign up to a volunteer register that will help keep Glasgow running in these unprecedented times.

“I know that our staff will rise to the challenge and I thank them in advance as we all work together to tackle the ongoing crisis – our people make Glasgow.”

The Lord Provost, Philip Braat, has asked any business who may have unused, unopened plastic aprons, face masks, hand sanitisers and plastic gloves to get in touch.

He said that staff working in care homes, those delivering home care to the most vulnerable and others, including the staff still working collecting the bins, are in need of safety equipment.

With demand from around the world increasing for personal protection equipment the council doesn’t want to run out and put lives at risk.

Mr Braat, said: “In these incredibly difficult times I am appealing directly to our businesses.

“Increased demand for important protective equipment used daily by our frontline staff like care workers means supplies all over the country are under real pressure.

“Please let us know if you have stock that you are able to donate to help us prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Ms Braat, added: “The priority is those going into residents homes working with the elderly and vulnerable.

“I’m aware there’s been various appeals including for hospitals. This is for council staff and I hope hospitals get the good response they need as well.

“We are getting to the critical stage. We want to avoid the situation were we don’t have enough.”

He said already there has been a good response.

The Lord Provost said he was appealing to every and any kind of business in Glasgow and the west of Scotland who may have the necessary equipment that can help frontline staff.

He said businesses who can help can contact John.Paterson3@glasgow.gov.uk