New Forum Animation Offers Guidance to Contractors and Customers During Emergency Domestic Work

The Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum has issued an engaging new animation that offers clear and practical advice to contractors and occupiers undertaking emergency domestic work.

In simple and graphic form, the short film outlines the precautions and operate-at-distance policies which the Forum has issued as guidance in order to provide the maximum protection for both parties from potential COVID-19 transmission.

Entitled In This Together, the film is now being rolled out in the wake of the recent Scottish Government instruction for all non-essential work to cease, in order to provide parameters for essential emergencies which may arise.

The theme of cooperation also echoes the strategic aims of the Forum itself, which was formed last month (March 2020) in response to the emergency and now has 16 members from across the construction sector pulling together in the interests of the industry as a whole.

Anne Vessey, Head of Marketing and Communications at the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) and Head of the CICV Forum Communications Sub-Group, said that the new film was open source and was designed to be shared by as many people as possible.

She said: “It has become very clear that we will only beat this devastating virus by co-operating, and the different members of the Forum have come together in a remarkable way to support a sector which itself supports so many different trades and skills.

“This short film explains how we can all reduce risk of Coronavirus exposure when necessary emergency work or repairs have to be carried out in the confined spaces of the domestic environment.”

The animation advises that contractors:

• Use the CICV Forum template to communicate and plan work
• Check that no one in the work site has symptoms, and assure that contractors have no symptoms
• Stand two metres apart and don’t shake hands
• Wash hands during and after work, using their own towel
• Wipe down all tools and instruments.

Ms Vessey said the film also emphasised how homeowners can also play their part by:

• Opening doors and windows and staying in a separate room
• Signing work off electronically
• Using bank transfers, not cash, for payments.

The CICV Forum has already acted swiftly to help to end the uncertainty around which construction works can be undertaken and has issued guidance to companies to resolve the conflicting messages from the Scottish and UK Governments.

Ms Vessey added: “This film is a further initiative in the Forum’s campaign to provide clarity and transparency to Scotland’s construction firms during the current pandemic emergency.”

The Forum now has 16 members, including the electrical contractors’ trade association SELECT, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Scotland), the Lift and Escalator Industry Association, the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) Scotland, the Scottish Building Federation, the Federation of Master Builders, the Scaffolding Association, the Electrical Distributors’ Association, the Builders Merchants Federation, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, the British Constructional Steelwork Association, SNIPEF, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, the Stone Federation (GB), the EDA and the Scottish Contractors Group.

• The film can be viewed here.