A recent article in inews has stated that Construction workers are at risk as Covid has spiked.
Spike in the Construction Industry
It states that Professor Calum Semple from SAGE the Government’s advisory group, is surprised by the spike in Covid rates in the Construction industry, saying “The construction industry has turned out to be a risk that I was surprised to see.”
The Construction industry were deemed key workers which meant that they could continue to work throughout lockdown however the lack of measures to combat the spread of the virus especially on smaller sites and in the housebuilding sector, has led to a higher rate than expected within the industry.
Fears About Jobs
Fears about jobs have caused some disruption in the industry and have perhaps been a factor in the lack of protection worn by workers.
The Office of National Statistics states that growth in construction output slowed to 2.9% in September 2020 and output in the sector remains 7.3% lower than the level recorded in February 2020. In May 2020, the Office of National Statistics showed Construction had a higher rate of coronavirus deaths than most other sectors – 25.9 per 100,000 males, or 22 deaths in total.
Support Available for Construction Companies
If your construction company has less than 250 workers, you can use the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme to claim back any coronavirus related Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees and lower income workers may be able to claim the £500 Test & Trace Support Payment.
As the Prime Minister calls on the sector to stay open, construction companies can keep workers safe with the social distancing technology Beable which is inexpensive and fast to set up. Please contact sales@ems-uk.com for more details.
We published a post earlier this year on practical tips to manage COVID in the Construction industry.