4 INDUSTRY NEWS


HOUSEBUILDER & DEVELOPER


Publisher Anthony Parker


James Parker


FROM THE EDITOR


The coronavirus crisis, as well as catalysing construction feats like the creation of the UK’s largest hospital at the ExCel centre in a couple of weeks, is also throwing up some examples that aren’t putting the industry in such a good light, to say the least.


Not only have there been reports that clients have been forcing staff to work on sites despite the difficulties that entails in terms of social distancing, there have even been some rumours that outbreaks of the virus have been hidden on some sites so that they can remain in operation. Firms and their staff are fearful of lost profits, particularly when margins are often small, however justifying such behaviour is very difficult, if proven to be true.


Clearer guidance from the industry on whether sites should stay open or not would have helped. Boris Johnson’s ‘stay put’ measures announced to the nation on 23 March seems to somehow have caught the industry on the hop. As Zak Garner-Perkins, head of content at Construction News put it at a recent webinar staged by BESA (the Building Engineering Services Association), the Construction Leadership Council “rushed out” its guidance on Site Operating Procedures within 24 hours, and that guidance was either “impossible, or incredibly hard to implement.”


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According to Garner-Perkins, during that feverish period the industry “went into a tailspin.” The CLC has updated its guidance since, but it is wide- ranging, and onerous if taken to the letter (obviously being guidance, it’s not enforceable). However, it also admits ‘there are situations where it is not possible or safe for workers to distance themselves by 2 metres.’ So it seems the industry’s nominal leaders are on the one hand setting a high bar for safety, but also acknowledging it is too high for most to be expected to comply with.


Sites of course vary hugely, some have small canteens, toilet facilities that make 2 metres difficult to negotiate fully, and other constraints. Many workers are forced to get on trains and buses – leading to the regrettable sightings of construction staff standing near each other on trains – capturing news headlines.


If guidance is not clear as to whether or not sites should stay open, unscrupulous bosses have little censure for pursuing what profit they can, at the expense of everyone’s safety. Leaving it to contractors or clients’ good sense as to whether or not to continue work seems foolhardy at best, and dangerously negligent at worst. Many housebuilders have of course shut their sites –Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon for example have decided to close down while the country remains ‘locked down.’ However, what of the smaller firms, whose pockets are not as deep?


VALUE FROM THIN AIR


The team behind a recently completed offsite airspace development in London walk readers through the complex, but efficient process undertaken


Corben Mews (by Click Above) go to page 12


WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK


As so often, the Government seems incapable of giving clear, unambiguous direction to the construction industry, even in such a huge health emergency. Surely this of all occasions is the time for the health and safety ethos that UK industry prides itself on to be brought to the fore, and to be enforced – with no get-out clause?


James Parker


Managing Editor James Parker


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