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
Future Homes Standard Essentials launched
Future Homes Hub launches new campaign to help the homebuilding sector prepare for the implementation of new building standards.
Building Safety recap February, 2026
Our regular run-down of key building safety related events of the month.
Planning reform: draft NPPF and industry responses.
Last chance to comment on proposed changes to the NPPF.
A Regency palace of colour and sensation. Book review.
Delayed, derailed and devalued
How the UK’s planning crisis is undermining British manufacturing.
How much does it cost to build a house?
A brief run down of key considerations from a London based practice.
The need for a National construction careers campaign
Highlighted by CIOB to cut unemployment, reduce skills gap and deliver on housing and infrastructure ambitions.
AI-Driven automation; reducing time, enhancing compliance
Sustainability; not just compliance but rethinking design, material selection, and the supply chains to support them.
Climate Resilience and Adaptation In the Built Environment
New CIOB Technical Information Sheet by Colin Booth, Professor of Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Turning Enquiries into Profitable Construction Projects
Founder of Develop Coaching and author of Building Your Future; Greg Wilkes shares his insights.
IHBC Signpost: Poetry from concrete
Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture with the Engine Shed.
Demonstrating that apprenticeships work for business, people and Scotland’s economy.
Scottish parents prioritise construction and apprenticeships
CIOB data released for Scottish Apprenticeship Week shows construction as top potential career path.
From a Green to a White Paper and the proposal of a General Safety Requirement for construction products.
Creativity, conservation and craft at Barley Studio. Book review.
The challenge as PFI agreements come to an end
How construction deals with inherited assets built under long-term contracts.
Skills plan for engineering and building services
Comprehensive industry report highlights persistent skills challenges across the sector.
Choosing the right design team for a D&B Contract
An architect explains the nature and needs of working within this common procurement route.
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Advisor
Thouria Istephan; Architect and inquiry panel member outlines ongoing work, priorities and next steps.