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Staying COVID-19 Secure in 2020 [v.6 20/10/20]

New Guidance [v.6 20/10/20] issued by Government ─ and Site Poster to display ...

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The Site Operating Procedures have been updated by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) to reflect the latest Government guidance

CLICK HERE FOR RIDDOR INSTRUCTIONS FROM HSE

[02/11/2020]

Current guidance

Social Distancing

Workers should maintain a distance of two metres, or one metre with risk mitigation where two metres is not viable. 

The local COVID alert levels do not restrict construction activities; however, any additional local authority restrictions must be complied with.  National guidance on social distancing in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be adhered to off-site

Going to Work

Workers should be working from home if they can.  Those who cannot work from home, which includes workers in construction, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, should go to work. 

Workplaces that are open should be Covid-19 secure.

Face Coverings

In accordance with The Use of Face Coverings in Construction, where workers on site are not required to wear Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) and their workplace (which may include welfare and changing facilities, site offices or site meeting rooms) meets all of the criteria below, their employer should make face coverings available and they should be worn in:

• An enclosed space;

• Where social distancing isn’t always possible; and

• Where they come into contact with others they do not normally meet. 

In line with Government guidance on premises providing hospitality, face coverings must be worn in canteens except when seated at a table to eat or drink.

What do we mean by ‘construction and other outdoor work’?

Working outdoors includes many people in construction,energy and utilities, farming and agriculture (including seasonal labour), forestry,waste management, other infrastructure, railway services and street and highway services

This document sets out guidance on how to work safely. It gives practical considerations of how this can be applied in the workplace.

Each business will need to translate this into the specific actions it needs to take, depending on the nature of their business,including the size and type of business, how it is organised, operated, managed and regulated.

This guidance does not supersede any legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment or equalities and it is important that as a business or an employer you continue to comply with your existing obligations, including those relating to individuals with protected characteristics. It contains non-statutory guidance to take into account when complying with these existing obligations. When considering how to apply this guidance, take into account agency workers, contractors and other people, as well as your employees.

To help you decide which actions to take, you need to carryout an appropriate COVID-19 risk assessment, just as you would for other health and safety related hazards. This risk assessment must be done in consultation with unions or workers

[published: 02 November 2020]

RIDDOR

There is no requirement under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) to report incidents of disease or deaths of members of the public, patients, care home residents or service users from COVID-19.

The reporting requirements relating to cases of, or deaths from, COVID-19 under RIDDOR apply only to occupational exposure, that is, as a result of a person’s work.

What to report

You should only make a report under RIDDOR when one of the following circumstances applies:

• an accident or incident at work has, or could have, led to the release or escape of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This must be reported as a dangerous occurrence

• a person at work (a worker) has been diagnosed as having COVID-19 attributed to an occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a case of disease

• a worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a work-related death due to exposure to a biological agent

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