Re-start outdoor construction - with task specific risk assessment

Covid19 is now a known hazard in the workplace - such as many other known hazards in the workplace, employers should be allowed to re-start operations - initially in lower risk sectors of outdoor construction based on a clear task specific risk assessment - as you would expect with any other hazard.

If the operation can de-risk COVID19 from the task then the task should be permitted to continue - these are the Health and safety laws of this county and CV19 is not different to any other workplace hazard - if the hazard cannot be safely mitigated the task is not permitted - its that simple

Why the contribution is important

a blanket ban on all workplaces is not realistic - the economy is suffering and the spiral of doom then on will continue. A task based risk assessment should permit certain workplaces to re start in sectors where the risks of CV19 transmission is mitigated - the benefit is: low risk to health and a net benefit to the economy.

by DRW on May 06, 2020 at 11:59AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.2
Based on: 11 votes

Comments

  • Posted by valkeri May 06, 2020 at 14:47

    Construction sites can be managed for safe working as has been proved in England. The damage to the economy already caused needs reversed and this is a small and manageable step. People need to get used to seeing others working which construction sites in pubic view demonstrate. People need to begin to understand the damage not working will cause not only to the economy but also peoples health and wellbeing.

    Nothing is free in this world so it is time for the trade off between lockdown and economic activity to be addressed. Doctors will tell us that preserving life is the priority so it needs politicians to look beyond that at the damage a stalled economy will cause. Steps like supporting the opening of construction sites are manageable and necessary to get Scotland and the economy moving again.

  • Posted by Pandamamma May 06, 2020 at 15:45

    Construction sites in England have shown this can be done safely, I work for an engineer with staff in both Scotland and England and we have developed risk assessments for visits to site etc, in addition all the contractors we are working with in England have social distancing policies in place, risk assessments and supervisors ensuring social distancing is enforced, much like you would have ensured safe systems of work on all sites before the pandemic.

  • Posted by SpiderSorcerer May 06, 2020 at 16:56

    I think if construction tasks can be undertaken while minimising the risk of Covid-19 transmission to an acceptable level, this becomes a managed risk like other hazards on a risk assessment. If this can't be minimised to an acceptable level, a task shouldn't take place. From my experience on construction sites I expect many tasks could be undertaken in a safe manner with regards to Covid-19 transmission. I could see busy construction sites could be potential transmission hubs though, unless strict measures were put in place to avoid crowded welfare fascilities in particular.

    I believe there is another element to this though: if emergency services are overstretched then an injury at a construction site which would normally not be life threatening may become so if there is a delayed response. Similarly if overstretched emergency services respond to an injury at a non-essential construction project they may not reach a Covid-19 patient fast enough. So I think the capacity of the emergency services is key in this.
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