Clear protocols around restarting construction work at level 3 are a crucial part of economic recovery says Engineering New Zealand.
Chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says the announcements are welcomed by the organisation and will mean engineers can begin to plan how to safely restart work.
The protocols cover physical distancing, hygiene practices, site entry and exit, cleaning, deliveries, and visitor protocols.
Engineers fully support the Governments efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19 by staying home and saving lives, says Ms Freeman-Greene.
“Lockdown has been tough for the industry, but we are keen to play our part in recovery.
“When its safe, economic activity needs to restart as quickly as possible. The projects that engineers design, manage and monitor play a key role in regaining economic momentum.
“It’s been amazing to see how the industry has come together to generate, review and endorse these frameworks for a new way of working.”
The industry standards were developed by the Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ) in collaboration with government agencies, WorkSafe, Construction Sector Accord member groups and client organisations.
Development of the protocols has been led by SiteSafe, Civil Contractors New Zealand and the Accord’s Vertical and Horizontal Leaders, in partnership with industry experts.
“Now it’s really important to share these widely and make sure everyone running a project is clear on their level 3 plan. This isn’t just a tick-box exercise – developing and managing a robust plan on every site is crucial for New Zealand’s health.”
There are two sets of protocols – one for the residential sector, and another for the civil and vertical sectors. They can be found here.