COVID 19 CLC Site Operating Procedures V5 Update

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Site Operating Procedures V5

 

The Site Operating Procedures have been updated by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) to reflect the latest Government guidance following the easing of lock-down measures in England from Saturday 4 July.

 

The ‘one metre plus’ social distancing guidelines require workers to stay two metres apart, or one metre with risk mitigation where two metres is not viable. However it is expected that sites will maintain the 2 metre social distancing measures where possible.

 

Updates are minimal and include:

  • Updates to the ‘When to Travel to Work’ section
  • The latest peak times for public transport
  • Entry systems to be regularly cleaned rather than between each use
  • Drivers to have access to welfare facilities
  • Canteens that have been closed or offered a restricted service may now re-open.
  • The Government’s guidelines on social distancing refer to ‘one metre plus’ which is defined in Working safely during Coronavirus (Covid-19) – Construction and other outdoor work as “two metres or one metre with risk mitigation where two metres is not viable”.

 

Mitigation’s could include installing screens, making sure people face away from each other, hand-washing facilities, minimising the amount of time spent with people outside your household or bubble, and being outdoors. The following Hierarchy of Controls should still be considered to ensure the safety of everyone.

Eliminate

  • Workers who are unwell with symptoms of Coronavirus (Covid-19) should not travel to or attend the workplace
  • Rearrange tasks to enable them to be done by one person, or by people working two metres apart
  • Avoid skin to skin and face to face contact
  • Stairs should be used in preference to lifts or hoists and consider one way systems
  • Consider alternative or additional mechanical aids to reduce worker interface

 

Site Meetings

  • Only absolutely necessary meeting participants should attend
  • Attendees should be at least two metres apart from each other
  • Rooms should be well ventilated / windows opened to allow fresh air circulation
  • Consider holding meetings in open areas where possible

 

Reduce

Where the social distancing measures two metres is not possible, risk mitigation

could include the following:

  • Minimise the frequency and time workers are within two metres of each other
  • Minimise the number of workers involved in these tasks
  • Workers should work side by side, or facing away from each other, rather than face to face
  • Lower the worker capacity of lifts and hoists to reduce congestion and contact at all times
  • Regularly clean common touch points, doors, buttons, handles, vehicle cabs, tools, equipment etc.
  • Increase ventilation in enclosed spaces
  • Workers should wash their hands before and after using any equipment

 

Isolate

Keep groups of workers:

  • Together in teams e.g. do not change workers within teams
  • As small as possible
  • Away from other workers where possible

 

Control

  • Consider introducing an enhanced authorisation process
  • Provide additional supervision to monitor and manage compliance

 

PPE

Sites should not use RPE for Coronavirus (Covid-19) where the two-metre social

distancing guidelines are met.

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) needs to be managed through social distancing, hygiene and the hierarchy of control and not through the use of PPE
  • Workplaces should not encourage the precautionary use of extra PPE to protect against Coronavirus (COVID-19).

 

Behaviours

The measures necessary to minimise the risk of spread of infection rely on everyone in the industry taking responsibility for their actions and behaviours.

Please encourage an open and collaborative approach between workers and employers on site where any issues can be openly discussed and addressed.

 

Further information can be obtained from https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Site-Operating-Procedures-Version-5.pdf

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0