Engineering services bodies issue coronavirus site safety guides
In May 2020, Engineering services sector bodies ECA and BESA jointly published two guides to help contractors manage coronavirus-related issues on site.
The new guides are freely available to the wider industry during the emergency. They provide sector-relevant guidance for engineering and building services contractors working across construction and FM in two specific areas:
- ‘Specific Environments’ (where there may be higher risk of COVID-19 transmission).
- ‘Close proximity working’ (less than 2m).
The guides:
- Align with the hierarchy of preventive measures shown in the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Site Operating Procedures (SOP), based on guidance from Public Health England.
- Do not recommend the deployment of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for general site activities, most notably where social distancing is possible.
- Recommend that any decision to deploy RPE in site-specific situations should be based on risk assessment.
The guides have been drawn up with the support of a COVID-19 Expert Panel made up of BESA and ECA safety practitioners. The panel is also helping ECA and BESA provide informed, practical comments on site health and safety issues to the government and industry bodies that are generating overarching guidance in this area.
BESA Health & Safety Advisor Rebecca Crosland said: “It is imperative that there is further guidance out there to help keep the industry safe. The health, wellbeing and safety of everyone on site must be a priority during the COVID-19 health crisis. Businesses must exercise their duty of care under legislation to ensure all workers are protected and ensure that any critical information related to their health and safety is communicated clearly and then implemented.”
Paul Reeve, ECA’s CSR Director and a member of the CLC’s working group on site safety measures said: “The CLC SOP is an overarching industry document, but it refers to the need for sector guidance. These two guides are the start of joint ECA and BESA activity to produce more detailed, sector-relevant information that’s desperately needed by many engineering services contractors. They aim to help with the practical management of coronavirus-related issues on site, which may include the challenges associated with doing essential work in closer proximity than 2 metres.”
ECA has a freely available coronavirus industry hub, with an array of updates and guidance, available at http://www.eca.co.uk/coronavirus.
This article was originally published on the ECA website on 1 May 2020.
--ECA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Articles by the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA)
- BESA - the Building Engineering Services Association
- Beyond the pandemic.
- CICV creates COVID toolkit.
- CLC releases Site Operating Procedures v6.
- Construction dust.
- Construction sites urged to integrate test and trace.
- Coronavirus
- Covid 19 and the new normal for infrastructure systems.
- England housing market resumes post-coronavirus operations.
- Face coverings and a shifting policy background.
- Personal protective equipment PPE.
- Plan proposes to reinvent construction industry.
- Re-starting construction in a COVID-19 environment.
- Site safety.
- Social distancing compliance marshal.
- The future of the coronavirus furlough.
Featured articles and news
We're expanding our collaborative mission by launching DB Intelligence, an exclusive market research advisory panel. Built environment professionals can now get paid to share their expertise on industry trends, products and services.
Panel members receive direct financial incentives for participating in research projects like short surveys, 1-2-1 interviews and focus groups. Register today to shape the future of the construction sector.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief exoplanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Guide to ISO 19650 for Architecture Firms (2026)
A user gives their low down.
A UK training and membership provider for mould remediation professionals.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
Independent NSI and BAFE study exploring how organisations are changing the way they buy fire safety services.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.