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
Industry leader Steve Murray takes on role.
An abundant and versatile building material.
How overheating complicates ending gas in the UK.
600,000 heat pump installations targetted per year by 2028.
Cost planning, control and related articles on DB.
Helping prevent those unwanted outcomes.
ICE debate Public transport - post pandemic.
How has transport changed due to Covid-19 ?
Cross-ventilation in buildings. Do you have it ?
Will you need it ? after June 15 and the new Part O ?
Share your knowledge with the industry.
Create an account and write the first of many articles.
The green jobs delivery group.
CIAT commentary after the first meeting.
Liverpool's world heritage site status
Who is to blame?
Research recommends focussing on portfolio success rather than project success.
ICE and BSI launch revised PAS 128 standard.
The revised standard for mapping underground utilities.
Launching the UK net zero carbon buildings standard.
Cross-industry steering group seeks support in delivery.
How to write an inspection and test plan.
Help us update process pieces from your field.
APM report explores existing practice.
Previous reflections on mental health with CIAT.
COVID-19 and the importance of mental wellbeing.
IHBC accreditation recognised by CSCS
As Professionally Qualified Person (PQP).
The Queens speech; bill by bill for 2022.
In order of relevance and with industry responses.
Mental Health awareness week, May 9-15.
Raising awareness of the impacts of loneliness.
Rapidly renewable materials and construction.
The list is growing, and in more ways than one.
Personal experiences of infrastructure maintenance issues.
We shouldn’t build new, If we can’t maintain what's built.
Mass timber: challenges and potential solutions.
Timber Accelerator Hub phase 1 report