On 7th January 2021, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) issued version 7 of the ‘Construction Sector – Site Operating Procedures Protecting Your Workforce During Coronavirus (Covid-19)’ document. Construction can continue to operate; however, any additional local authority restrictions must be complied with.
The current guidance includes the following:
Social Distancing
Workers should maintain a distance of two metres, or one metre with risk mitigation where two metres is not viable.
National guidance on social distancing in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be adhered to off-site.
Going to Work
Workers must work 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
- 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.
A full copy of the guidance is available to download here.