Coronavirus: Proposals for reopening construction sites safely is published

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A roadmap to achieving a safe working environment on construction sites has been published by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI).

Its proposals include having some workers on site until midnight, and could go as far as recommending all staff are dressed in hazmat suits and face masks.

The RIAI proposals follow similar calls from the Construction Industry Federation in recent days and are designed to map out a way of reopening construction sites safely.

Among the proposals is the implementation of a 16-hour daily cycle with shift work. The day would be split into two shifts, with some staff working from 7am to 3pm and the remainder working from 4pm until midnight, with the site to be sterilised from 3pm to 4pm.

This would require support from Councils to modify current restrictions on noise limits and suitable working hours.

An increase in personal protection equipment (PPE) is also proposed with the level of PPE dependent on risk.

At the higher end of the scale, all construction staff, management and administration personnel would be required to wear disposable hazmat suits and wrap-around face protection. These would be disposed of after each use.

Staff on lower risk sites, such as warehousing, roads or rail, where staff don’t work as close to each other, would require less extensive PPE.

The RIAI is recommending the structure of sites be reviewed and amended to allow for social distancing. Measures should include wider or single direction site walkways, stop-go systems for all stairways, bans on queuing at lifts and appropriate social distancing in canteens.

Also recommended are modifications to construction techniques to allow for single worker operation and, where that is not possible, a modification of how existing buddy systems on sites are operated.

The RIAI has also outlined considerations for how site inspections are undertaken to ensure restrictions are in place, and warned all sites which do not comply should be shut down.