Supporting the construction industry is paramount

During the daily Downing Street coronavirus briefing, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock echoed the government’s stance that construction sites can keep working if workers are able to stick to social distancing rules.

He said: “The judgment we have made is that in work, in many instances, the 2m rule can be applied. Where possible, people should work from home and employers have a duty to ensure that people are more than 2m apart.”

According to government guidelines, all documented at the NFB website, work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms.

No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repairs, and where the tradesperson is willing to do so.

No work should be carried out by a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.

Richard Beresford “We will continue to support our members the best we can. We have written up some detailed guidance for our members, to help them apply social distancing and to make sure that a high standard of health and safety is kept at their sites.

He continued “Many NFB members have self-employed supply chains they feel responsible for and this has been a very trying time as there is little for them to fall back on. We are now looking to the government to provide more support for self-employed people and help them through this difficult period.”

The NFB’s ‘COVID-19 guidance for construction companies and workers’ is available, here.