Category: Industry News

Coronavirus/Covid-19: Latest HSE Guidance @ 14th May

COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS 
HSE Guidance via Email Today

HSE Covid-19 Image

Check the HSE website daily for the latest updates.

Working safely during the coronavirus outbreak

Our (HSE) new guidance will help you keep workers safe (COVID secure) during the outbreak.

It covers the steps you should take to protect workers and others, in line with your normal legal duties in managing risk and risk assessment at work.

The following guides will help you manage the risk from coronavirus in your business during this time:

Government guidance published

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published guidance to help employers keep  their workplaces operating safely during this time.

The latest guidance covers eight workplace settings including:

Social distancing guidelines

HSE has guidelines on how businesses must maintain social distancing and protect workers.

The guidance explains what employers must do in order to protect workers and keep their businesses open. It covers:

  • social distancing (employers who have people in their offices or onsite should ensure that employees are able, where possible, to follow the appropriate regulations and/or guidance for England, Scotland and Wales on social distancing)
  • essential and non-essential work
  • safe in-work activity

The construction industry has come together to show how it has been interpreting and applying government guidance in responding to Covid-19 by providing practical examples of how it is safeguarding its workforce while operating sites.

Many examples have been built on the Construction Leadership Council’s ‘Site Operating Procedures (v3) – Protecting Your Workforce During Coronavirus (Covid-19)’ guidance and its hierarchy of controls, which can be downloaded here.

Coronavirus/Covid-19: Latest Construction Guidance @ 13th May (Updated 15th May)

COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS 
Latest Construction Guidance

CITB Coronavirus (COVID-19) communication updates pages
With link and page extract below, noting that the checklists aren’t available until tomorrow are now available (15th May).
www.citb.co.uk/urgent-messages/

COVID-19 site safety checklists and forms (Updated 15th May)

During the pandemic it is essential that the workforce is protected to minimise the risk of infection on construction sites.

We have worked hard with CLC and others to produce a comprehensive range of checklists and forms are available to download. We are trying to help employers by providing this information. It will ensure that those who are permitted and able to return to work have a clear understanding of how they can apply the CLC’s COVID-19 Site operating procedures guidance (Version 3) in practice. Guidance on issues such as close working, cleaning and what employees should do if they become unwell will be included.

The checklist and forms will have four parts:

CC01: COVID-19 – Site operating procedures compliance checklist: An interactive checklist to ensure compliance with current guidance on protecting your workforce on site during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Download: CC01 COVID-19 – Site operating procedures compliance checklist (PDF file, 2.7MB)

CC02: COVID-19 – Health, safety and environmental risk assessment template: A guide offering example control measures for those required to undertake risk assessment of the workplace and specific activities on site. An interactive risk assessment template is also included in order to facilitate this process.
Download: CC02 COVID-19 – Health safety and environment risk assessment template (PDF file, 2.1MB)

CC03: COVID-19 – A toolbox talk for construction workers: Designed to be delivered to construction workers by their manager or supervisor. Good communication is essential for health and safety management on construction sites. It is vitally important that contractors, managers and supervisors engage and consult with workers, as it is an effective way of identifying hazards and controlling risks.
Download: CC03: COVID-19 – A toolbox talk for construction workers (PDF file, 325KB)

CC04: COVID-19 – Weekly site operating procedures checklist: An interactive checklist, designed to ensure ongoing compliance with both established and additional procedures.
Download: CC04: COVID-19 – Weekly site operating procedures checklist (PDF file, 1.8MB)

CITB Additional resources

We (CITB) have also released our complete library of 98 interactive checklists and forms from our GE700 Construction Site Safety publication for free download. The comprehensive range of checklists and forms are designed to help with the day-to-day management of construction sites.
Link: GE700 – Checklists and forms

Contractor’s COVID-19 Construction site Health & Safety Video
Detailing measures taken, rules, etc and prepared using CLC Site Operating Procedures guidance.

Another Contractor’s COVID-19 Construction site Health & Safety Video
Again detailing measures to be taken, rules, etc.

UK Government Guidance Document for Construction and other outdoor work (11 May 2020)
“Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) in construction and other outdoor work”
Direct Download

 

Coronavirus/Covid-19: Latest Construction Guidance @ 3rd May

COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS 
Latest Construction Guidance

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): Construction Sector Guidance
www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-construction-sector-guidance/pages/overview/

COVID19 UK CLC Site Operating Procedures V3 (Dated 14 APR 2020)
The construction Leadership Forum (CLC) official Site Operating Procedures (SOP) for construction sites which remain operational during the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic and need to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of spread of infection. This appears to be the main guidance being followed at present by operational sites in preparing their site processes and procedures.
www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/news/site-operating-procedures-version-3-published/

COVID19 SCOTLAND CS Site Operating Guidance – V1 (Dated 06 APR 2020)
The Construction Scotland version of the CLC doc above – based on the CLC doc and content similar.
www.cs-ic.org/library/working-on-site-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-construction-guidance

HSE – Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice
www.hse.gov.uk/news/coronavirus.htm

BARBOUR Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Covid-19 News
www.barbour-ehs.com/covid-19-news

The Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum
Information available on this website from the CICV which states the aim of bringing together the main construction trade and professional bodies to gather intelligence, share advice and speak directly with the Scottish Government on issues affecting members in the current crisis.
www.cicvforum.co.uk

PINSET MASONS Legal Update (Dated 24 April 2020)
Coronavirus: Construction Worker Distancing Review Call in Scotland
New powers provided to Police Scotland under the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 should prompt construction companies to review on-site practices and consider how they can implement physical distancing of workers. www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/analysis/coronavirus-construction-worker-distancing-scotland

The information above is certainly not exhaustive and may be superseded in the near future but hopefully provides some useful current advice as of today’s date.

Coronavirus/Covid-19: Site Operating Procedures (UK)

COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS (UK)
CLC Site Operating Procedures Protecting Your Workforce During Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Coronavirus Information Board in City Centre23 March 2020, 02 April 2020, 15 April 2020
18th May Updated Version

On 18th May the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) published updated guidance via Version 4 for construction sites which remain operational, for whatever valid reason, during the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic need to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of spread of infection.

The updated 18th May 2020 version of this Guidance Doc can be obtained via direct download from the CLC website.

COVID-19: H&S FOR WORKPLACES THAT REMAIN OPEN

Also refer this 02 April legal update from Brodies giving guidance on health & safety for workplaces that remain open during this time.

COVID19/Coronavirus: Site Operating Procedures (SCOTLAND)

COVID-19 / CORONAVIRUS (Scotland)
‘Construction Scotland’ Working on site during the COVID-19 pandemic – Construction guidance

Coronavirus Information Board in City CentreIssue 01 – 6th April 2020

Construction Scotland have issued their guidance (based on the CLC’s Covid19 Site Operating Procedures) for essential works construction sites which remain operational during the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic and need to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of spread of infection.

This first Scottish version of guidance can be obtained via Construction Scotland’s website – Working on site during the COVID-19 pandemic – Construction Guidance (based on the Construction Leadership Council’s Site Operating Procedures)