Build UK’s update the industry amid the covid-19 outbreak 

The Site Operating Procedures have been updated to incorporate a number of technical changes as a result of the recently published government guidance on working safely during coronavirus (covid-19) – construction & other outdoor work.

Changes to the Site Operating Procedures – Version 4 are minimal and include:

  • Removal of the requirement for face-to-face contact to be kept to 15 minutes or less
  • The section on PPE now links to the latest government guidance on face coverings
  • References to one-way systems and the reconfiguration of seating and tables and an update on portable toilets
  • The requirement to share risk assessments with the workforce
  • Clarification on when to travel to work, as set out in the government’s covid-19 recovery strategy
  • Updated links and wording on social distancing

Please note that you may need to refresh your browser cache in order to view the latest version by pressing Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac).

CITB has produced a range of checklists to help employers implement the site operating procedures in practice:

The Health and Safety Executive has published a statement on how it will maintain its regulatory functions as businesses return to work. This will include conducting visits to business premises and sites in line with social distancing regulations, as well as targeted proactive inspection work of high-risk industries including construction.

Transport for London continues to urge people not to use the tube between peak hours of 05:45 – 08:15 and 16:00 – 17:30 and has published a list of the 20 busiest stations during these times.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and a range of organisations, including Mind and Mates in Mind, have provided resources to support employers and their workforces with their mental well-being during this period. Build UK member the Chartered Institute of Building has also published a report, Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment, which looks at the state of mental health within the industry. It describes the ‘silent crisis’ affecting many construction workers’ day-to-day lives and makes a number of recommendations to tackle it, from improving awareness to providing specialist support services.

Build UK is receiving a large number of responses to its latest materials survey and the deadline has been extended to 5:00pm today, so please help us to keep the supply chain open by taking a few moments to share your demand for materials and products.

Businesses should continue to follow the most up-to-date government guidance and for the latest updates please follow Build UK on Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any construction-specific queries or feedback on what is happening within the industry, please contact Build UK.

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