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NEW RULES SET TO MAKE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES REOPEN
Some firms and house-builders have started to reopen sites or have announced when operations will resume in May. Among them is Taylor Wimpey, which has said it is using “detailed new site operating protocols developed in compliance with strict social distancing requirements”.
Chief executive Pete Redfern said last week: “We are now confident that we have clear plans and processes in place so we can safely start back on site in a phased way.”
According to Sky news, construction union Unite has called for the Health and Safety Executive to ramp up site visits to police social distancing on sites.
New guidance from the Construction Leadership Council states that where workers are required to work within two metres of each other, they should “work side by side, or facing away from each other, rather than face to face”.
When this is impossible, workers should “keep this to 15 minutes or less where possible”.
Unite has written to Business Secretary Alok Sharma, claiming procedures have been “watered-down” compared with previous versions and saying this “undermines the safety of workers on construction sites and may even become a contributory factor to the spread of COVID-19 in our communities“.