The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has proposed that construction employers make face coverings available, as a minimum, where workers are not required to wear RPE
Construction employers have asked the CLC for guidance on the use of face coverings in response to coronavirus to help provide a consistent approach across the industry.
In response to Covid-19, the use of face coverings has become mandatory in more public places, and construction employers have asked the CLC for guidance to help provide a consistent approach across the industry.
In ‘The Use of Face Coverings in Construction during Coronavirus (Covid-19)’, it is proposed that employers make available face coverings as a minimum where workers are not required to wear RPE for their specific task and their workplace meets all of the following criteria:
- An enclosed space;
- Where social distancing isn’t always possible; and
- Where they come into contact with others they do not normally meet.
The use of face coverings or PPE is not required in response to coronavirus in offices or whilst carrying out construction activities.
The government guidance on ‘Working safely during coronavirus (Covid-19) – Construction and other outdoor work’ states that: Workplaces should not encourage the precautionary use of extra PPE to protect against Covid-19 outside clinical settings or when responding to a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19.
The CLC advises that workers should maintain a distance of two metres, or one metre with risk mitigation where two metres is not viable.
