Coronavirus Advice
Latest Lockdown Restrictions – Published 5th January 2021
England has entered a new lockdown with no confirmed end date, and people must work from home if they can. Construction sites, manufacturing and work in people’s homes can continue. Builders merchants and suppliers of building products are allowed to stay open and people can still go to property viewings and move home.
Scotland has entered a new lockdown until at least 31 January, and people must work from home if they can. Construction sites and essential work in people’s homes can continue.
Wales is in lockdown with ‘Alert Level 4’ restrictions in place until at least Friday 8 January when they will be reviewed. Construction sites and work in people’s homes can continue.
Northern Ireland is in lockdown with restrictions due to be reviewed on 23 January, although they are expected to remain in place until at least 6 February. Construction sites and work in people’s homes can continue.
There are many questions being raised about what constitutes an essential site or safe working environment. The following sources contain the information you need and are regularly being updated.
As with any working environment we would recommend that the health and safety of all workers is considered as part of your risk assessment and method statement and any action required is both communicated and acted upon by those responsible.
HM Government
Businesses should continue to follow the most up-to-date Government guidance
Safe Site Working
The Government has published its guidance for construction companies to operate sites safely as work resumes across the country. The new ‘COVID-19 secure’ guidelines complement the existing Construction Leadership safe site operating procedures.
Devolved Governments in your IoR region may offer different guidance and you need to check the advice in your area:
Ireland | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
CPA – Construction Products Association
The CPA continues to actively engage in daily calls with the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Construction Leadership Council (CLC). In just over one week this forum has produced a significant level of advice, guidance and interrogation of government actions. All the key outputs are found on our Coronavirus Website Pages
Build UK
Build UK is engaging across its membership to ensure they are responding to the concerns of the sector and their priority is supporting members and the wider industry with advice, guidance and information on construction-specific issues. There is unprecedented financial support available from Government, and Site Operating Procedures have been produced to ensure sites are implementing the Government’s social distancing requirements. This information can be found on their Coronavirus Website Pages
Construction Leadership Council
The Construction Leadership Council has convened a Construction Industry Task Force to provide a focal point for co-ordinating the industry response to COVID-19, and to facilitate communication between the industry and Government.
Its objective is to sustain the industry through the current period when restrictions are in place, and to ensure that the industry is able to drive economic growth and prosperity in the UK once the virus has been beaten.
CITB
CITB have provided a database of information and links designed to help employers during the crisis.
NFRC
The NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) have produced an informative page of useful information and downloads.
Construction News
Construction News carries a daily COVID-19: construction briefing which pulls together the latest updates.
