Build UK Daily Update
Source – Build UK
It is hard to believe that we have been dealing with the coronavirus (COVIDâ€19) pandemic for four weeks now and we have issued a Build UK update every day since it started. The relentless pace and volume of change, along with the unprecedented level of information to be absorbed, has created significant challenges for many in the industry.
Following the Easter break, which offered the opportunity to reâ€group and look ahead, more sites are expected to reâ€open, implementing the new ways of working required for the ‘social distancing’ environment in which we now live. The calls from Build UK and the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) for collaboration across the industry have reminded everyone that there will be a postâ€coronavirus world and it is in all our interests to maintain and sustain the construction supply chain.
There will be more changes this week, starting with publication of the Site Operating Procedures †Version 3 later today. These will include the latest Public Health England (PHE) guidance on Social distancing in the workplace during coronavirus (COVIDâ€19) published last week, additional information on the hierarchy of control measures to reduce the risk of transmission, and the need to monitor implementation of the procedures.
The latest PHE guidelines include the following statements:
In the sectorâ€specific Construction guidance:
“Where it is not possible to follow the social distancing guidelines in full in relation to a particular activity, you should consider whether that activity needs to continue for the site to continue to operate, and, if so, take all the mitigating actions possible to reduce the risk of transmission.”
In the Transport Businesses guidance under ‘Use of private vehicles and car pooling’:
"If the journey is essential, such as travel to work, and there is no option but to share a car with people who are not part of the same household, journeys should be shared with the same individuals and with the minimum number of people at any one time.”