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Protocols and prevention of action in works
We have already spoken on different occasions about how the coronavirus pandemic (SARS-CoV-2) is affecting workers at construction sites "on site". By now, all architecture firms should already have a action protocol before the COVD 19 well defined.
Large architecture firms or resourceful construction companies have had no problem creating a contingency plan detailed, but, speaking with colleagues, in small companies or architecture studios, it is being another topic.
The professional associations of architects, surveyors, engineers, etc. They are releasing supporting documentation to make it easier for us to create a action plan that responds to a possible contagion of COVID 19 quickly and effectively.
Obviously, everything can be improved, and we have found some models to create good action protocols (they are at the end of the article) but first, we have to understand the importance of the document, and it is important, so let's get down to business! …
What are the objectives of a contingency plan?
Directly and without nonsense …BUSINESS CONTINUITY! Whether for the construction sector, commerce, industrial, etc. Companies must be prepared to prevent, protect themselves, and react to events that could impact their business.
It is necessary to protect itself with a set of tasks - actions that allow the company to recover after an incident in a period of time that does not compromise its continuity. To see it clearer, the following scheme …
Much plan and scheme, but … What happens on a construction site when we are not prepared?…
Why is a well-detailed action protocol important on site?
That of… . "Manolo, fill out the rapid anti-COVID19 protocol, put four sheets and that's it." That attitude can mean that you finish the work in negative from the economic perspective.
Must commit to protecting and caring for the health of workers due to the possibility of contagion of COVID-19 that is closely related to business continuity. As we explained in the article on how to understand construction in the face of the coronavirus, due to the duration of the works, we are a very vulnerable sector.
In the works In construction we know what an operator costs per day, the value of the materials, how much it costs to put them, etc., and a factor that everyone prays that does not change: The time in which the work will be executed.
The factors of time, costs and resources are closely linked. An imbalance of one of them is negative for the work
The "lead times" that were initially indicated in the project are decisive and are closely related to costs and resources; among them, the humans (workers of the work) but … When does the relationship of human resources and costs have the most influence on a work? (Learn more in a project life cycle PDF document HERE)
Of course, when we are executing the work "in situ" it is the moment that we need the most operators, but it is also when it most influences the cost that comes with time.
The imbalance of human resources due to a COVID 19 infection not stopped in time and solved with little efficiency, can lead to negative economic values.
The imbalance of human resources due to a COVID 19 infection not stopped in time and resolved effectively, can lead to negative economic values
Not to mention that, if the infection is from several operators, the administration will come and send them all home, a problem multiplied by a hundred! Completely dismantling the execution deadlines.
It is necessary to commit to the fight against COVID 19 not only commits the promoter or the facultative direction, from the lowest operator to the highest manager. As a whole, the company will be more effective in the fight, but, of course, those who "command" must be the most responsible, so remember:
What parts of a work should the COVID 19 prevention protocol monitor?
For Spain and within the regulatory framework, the containment protocol and the measures to be adopted must be consistent with that established by the Ministry of Health, and, in particular, in what risk situation are the works:
The creation of protocol affects and involves the entire production chain linked to the construction industry. We just want to provide a small outline so that we don't miss any points when creating the report:
Models of action and prevention protocols
If I still don't have a coronavirus prevention plan created… Where can I start? Here you must understand that most of the actions that are being taken within the works to prevent contagion, 95% are the same in Spain as in the other end of the world, for example, in South America.
Guides to get started:
- Good practice guidelines for construction sites. Measures for the prevention of contagion of SARS-CoV-2 from the Ministry of Labor Spain in HERE
- Action guide on prevention due to covid-19 in construction works from Spain in HERE.
- Protocol of preventive actions for Covid-19 from the Chilean Chamber of Construction HERE (The best document, well outlined, easy to understand, let's go a 10!)
- Guide for cleaning and disinfection of workplaces and equipment, to prevent Covid-19. From the Construction Labor Foundation HERE.
- Extensive article on hygienic, surgical and PPE masks - FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3.
The previous documents are good practice guidelines for writing a protocol, action guides, how you should write the protocol document, etc. But they are neither templates nor a real case of a protocol.
The templates and examples on the protocol of action under construction in the face of the pandemic they are very scarce in the network, I do not understand it! given the usefulness it could bring to professionals in the sector (Note: If someone wants to contribute a written and real example, they can leave a comment that we will add to the article).
Eye! It is not worth copying and pasting the following documentation, they must be adapted to each company and its particular characteristics …
MODEL 1: COVID 19 contingency plan at a construction site
The best example of a contingency plan against SARS-CoV-2 on a construction site that is in Internet, well explained and detailed. It is written by Ramón Pérez Merlos (Very active on Linkedin and advisable to follow him), José Miguel Grau Pastor and Carlos Montero Gutiérrez.
A document, which in our opinion, represents a true jewel of 42 pages that creates a school. It can be found on Ramón Pérez Merlos's Occupational Risk Prevention blog by accessing this article (If you click on the image at the end of the article, the PDF opens). With images as representative as:
As we can see, in that document, there is an important part of the posters and signs that we will need in the works and corresponding dependencies.
We have a very useful article on informative posters on occupational hazards. It has been updated with prevention posters for COVID 19 on site that we can see HERE and where we indicate how you can get them very easily. Examples …
MODEL 2. Contingency plan and continuity of activity in a situation of pandemic by SARS-COV-2
From the IVASSAT (Institut Valencà de Seguretat i Salut en el Treball) they have published a technical guide for the preparation of the contingency plan and continuity of work during COVID-19.
An extensive document that we can also download and see more documents from HERE. There is a lot of helpful information; technical, training and poster documents.
MODEL 3. Contingency plan in Word
Since the administration of Aragon they have launched a Word document as a template to create an action plan easy way. Although it is generic, it is full of diagrams that will be very useful to us. We can download it from HERE.
MODEL 4. Plan of action and contingency against coronavirus
From the company Europreven (Prevention of occupational risks) they also have a document that we can note. A well explained 18 page contingency and action plan. We can consult it from HERE.
Checklist and checklist - checklist
So that we do not miss anything when creating the report, we have looked for tools that, like checklist, allow us to do a quick review of the document:
- From the Chilean Chamber of Construction they have two very good documents (Unfortunately they cannot be downloaded, but they can be viewed) and they are; A checklist for compliance with the Sanitary Protocol for Construction Works that we can see HERE, and, the other, a checklist for Sanitary Protocol for Suppliers and Construction Services companies that we can see HERE.
- From the Community of Madrid with the document "Form for verifications of actions in the field of safety and health at work related to covid 19 for construction site workers" It can be consulted HERE in PDF.
- Of course, AENOR also wants to enter the game of certifying the protocols and measures implemented. Obviously low pay, but it may be interesting for some companies that want to go a step further and distinguish themselves from the competition with the relevant stamp. It can be consulted from the Certification of Protocols against COVID-19 by AENOR from HERE.
Note for Spain: Legislative changes are continually being made, although occasional and more without being related to the construction sector. Remember that from HERE are all the documents that the administration is publishing.
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