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craigroberts76  
#1 Posted : 11 January 2021 11:38:02(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
craigroberts76

morning all.  Are any of you in the in the construction industry? if so what is your take on the current safety of workers?

I've had a call this morning which I've escalated to our manager.  The call was from a worker who is on a site, but isnt happy as no one is wearing a mask, not keeping distances etc.  Some sites wont let you on without an online induction, and a form filling in stating you are fit and well, and yet others jsut dont care.

I'm not sure what I can do atm as masks are not manditory on sites.

thanks

Edited by user 11 January 2021 11:38:36(UTC)  | Reason: modified

peter gotch  
#2 Posted : 11 January 2021 11:53:44(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi Craig

Current guidance from the Construction Leadership Council Site-Operating-Procedures-Version-5.pdf (constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk) is to find ways of limiting exposure of site workers to Covid by measures other than the use of face coverings.

So, I suppose the question your manager should be asking is whether your worker is being protected by other methods and the bit of your posting that should cause most concern is their comment that workers are not social distancing.

The construction industry has alway been a spectrum from the usually very good to the almost invariably very bad. Presumably your company doesn't want to work for those who fall into the latter category!

It's usually quite easy to assess where on the spectrum the site sits. The welfare provided is usually a very good indicator....and on this I have seen photos of "what good looks like" during the pandemic - think those pics are on the CLC website.

P

craigroberts76  
#3 Posted : 11 January 2021 12:06:31(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
craigroberts76

I know it will be the usual chasing money answer, technician having a mondy wobbler as he was there all last week, etc, etc.

I was on a site on Weds doing a random check on our lads and fumes, and there were other workers working side by side in an enclosed space obvilious to the risk.

I might get the site contact and contact them as a 3rd party and sound them out on what they are doing.  I dont want to be the one to get us kicked off site by the client for stirring, despite it being the right thing

firesafety101  
#4 Posted : 11 January 2021 12:51:59(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Is there a COVID risk assessment with rules on how to maintain social distancing?

The HSE website has an example of such a risk assessment that I used as a guide when making my risk assessment for sites.

It is quite comprehensive and suggests ways of organising the site with one way pedestrian routes etc.

Was Covid discussed during the site Induction talk/s.

Does the site have signage regarding COVID rules.

Good luck getting this sorted but you may need to get your people away from the site if you think they are at risk.  I know money talks but COVID takes no notice of money.

craigroberts76  
#5 Posted : 11 January 2021 13:38:04(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
craigroberts76

If you've been on a construction site, you'll know that policy and procedures can be printed out or scrawled on the walls like Monty python, but sites dont always follow them.

peter gotch  
#6 Posted : 11 January 2021 13:47:51(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

The motto used to be that "Every site is as good as its Site Agent". But it's probably more accurate to say "Every site is as good as its Contract Manager".

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