https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Construction|Design|Health|Infrastructure|Projects|Safety|Service|Systems|Infrastructure
Construction|Design|Health|Infrastructure|Projects|Safety|Service|Systems|Infrastructure
construction|design|health|infrastructure|projects|safety|service|systems|infrastructure

Construction sector calls for immediate phased restart

20th April 2020

By: Marleny Arnoldi

Deputy Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

The Construction Covid-19 Rapid Response Task Team has made a submission to government motivating for the construction sector to be reactivated, starting immediately with live construction sites.

The task team was established to represent major organisations in the sector including contractors, property developers, construction professionals, suppliers and service providers during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The team says the construction sector has the potential to create employment opportunities to cushion the impact of an anticipated increase in unemployment in the immediate aftermath of the lockdown. Therefore, the submission is calling for an immediate re-activation of live construction sites that were at various stages of completion when the lockdown came into effect on March 27.

The submission then suggests a phased re-opening of the industry in May. The task team has already identified sites that are ready for immediate activation.

The construction industry’s submission involves a detailed Covid-19 Risk and Mitigation Plan, which has been submitted to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure as part of the motivation for a phased re-opening. This includes a requirement for every company that is to be considered for re-opening to present a suitable operational plan to prevent transmission of the infection.

Task team chairperson John Matthews says the lockdown has been helpful in preventing cases of occupationally-acquired infections on construction sites. He also says the lockdown period provided the industry an opportunity to augment existing health and safety systems in the construction industry in view of the threat posed by the pandemic.

However, some critical infrastructure projects can suffer irrecoverable damages, and mean that there will not be any sites left to return to when the lockdown is eventually lifted. “Hence the call for immediate re-activation of work on live construction sites and for the resumption of professional planning, costing and design work that supports such work,” says Matthews.

The industry was already facing major challenges before Covid-19, including lack of work, late and non-payment, and uncontrolled illegal construction site invasions.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

Showroom

M and J Mining
M and J Mining

M and J Mining are leading suppliers of physical support systems as used by the underground mining industry. Our selection of products are not...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Booyco Electronics
Booyco Electronics

Booyco Electronics, South African pioneer of Proximity Detection Systems, offers safety solutions for underground and surface mining, quarrying,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:1.424 4.16s - 152pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now