Do I Still Need PPE on My Site?
Despite the easing of Covid restrictions by the government, the Coronavirus is still very much about, and cases are still at a high. Protecting your construction site workers should still be at the highest of importance, reducing the likelihood of infection and spreading.
In the construction sector, projects are being severely delayed due to the number of employees and contractors who are ill or self-isolating due to COVID-19. Therefore, it is as important as ever to take the necessary precautions to prevent an outbreak at your business.
When people are working closely together, it is much easier for infections to spread amongst teams, which can result in missing a whole team for up to 10 days and in some cases, longer if they develop more serious symptoms.
In order to keep the risk of an outbreak to a minimum, construction site managers can take a number of safety measures, such as limiting contact between workers where possible and using PPE to reduce the chance of infection.
The site manager should perform a risk assessment to identify the risks and implement control measures that will help to protect people working on the site.
The government published a guide for construction sites to help keep the workplace clean and prevent transmission through using the appropriate cleaning processes, social distancing and the use of face coverings and other PPE.
These are some of the essential products that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
Disposable face masks
Having boxes of disposable face masks will ensure that if people forget to bring their own masks to work, you can provide a face mask for them to wear when working closely with others. You can also provide disposable masks to site visitors who have not brought their own.
Available from fixfirm.co.uk:
Surgical Disposable Face Masks (Box of 50)
3 Ply Disposable Face Covering White (Box of 50)
Gloves
As well as protecting people from COVID-19 by wearing masks, gloves should be worn to prevent infection being caused by touching contaminated surfaces. Disposable gloves can be used in environments where people are touching the same surfaces.
Available from fixfirm.co.uk:
Small Blue Nitrile Powder Free Disposable Gloves (Box of 100)
Cleaning chemicals
Frequently cleaning surfaces and tools that are being used by multiple people is crucial to reduce transmission. Cleaning chemicals such as antiviral disinfectants are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Available from fixfirm.co.uk:
750ml Super Antiviral Disinfectant Trigger Spray - V1
5 Litre Super Antiviral Disinfectant - RTU - V2
Hand sanitisers
Providing hand sanitisers around the site is another key requirement to reduce the possibility of spreading the infection.
There are several hand sanitising products available from fixfirm.co.uk:
https://www.fixfirm.com/category/safety-workwear-site-supplies-cleaning-hygiene-sun-protection-handcare-soaps-hand-sanitizers
Marker sprays
To help maintain social distancing in the workplace, marker sprays can be used to outline walking routes and one-way systems to reduce contact between workers and site visitors.
There is a range of marker sprays available from fixfirm.co.uk:
https://www.fixfirm.com/category/safety-workwear-site-supplies-site-set-out-marking-marker-sprays
Using these products should help to minimse the impact of COVID-19 absences in your workplace and help to keep your projects running to schedule.
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