Specialist contractors develop construction safety guidelines
Specialist contractors are continuing to develop sector specific construction safety guidelines to support the Government’s plans to re-start the economy. However, there are some concerns about that the Government’s latest guidance on returning to work won’t protect people from Covid-19.
Trade bodies across the specialist sector have been developing and revising construction safety guidelines. Trade bodies have formed work groups to ensure that it is safe to work on sites for construction and maintenance activities.
Leading representative bodies including the Building Engineering Services Association(BESA), Finishes and Interiors Sector, and the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) have produced sector specific guidance and some have had sight of draft guidance being proposed by the Government.
Last week the NASC published an update to its Guidance for Scaffolding Operations During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, to provide advice that scaffolding contractors can adopt to help safeguard the health and welfare of their workforce.
The Finishes and Interiors Sector set up a task force last month to review methods of work. Introducing a traffic light rating – red, amber or green – for fit-out trades.
In addition to site safety procedures, BESA has been working on protocols that have helped to maintain building services. This is to help provide guidance during the shutdown period and also give practical advice to restart building systems.
Commenting on the proposed Government guidelines during a webinar, David Frise, BESA’s chief executive, said: “The draft we saw over the weekend contained a lot of what we have been suggesting.”
But not everyone is so positive. John Phillips, Acting GMB General Secretary, said: “We desperately need to get the economy going and nobody is keener than GMB to get people back to work – but this guidance was thrown together in a hurry and it shows.
“The guidance has to be clear on how safe working practice is to be enforced. As it stands, there is nothing on PPE, nothing on enforcement to ensure workplaces are safe and nothing giving workers the assurances they need to get back to their jobs
“In its current form, this guidance does not adequately protect workers from Covid-19 exposure and as a result many may refuse to work to avoid putting themselves and their families at risk.”
Read more related stories here.
