As a responsible employer, it is essential we protect our hardworking staff, supply chain partners, visitors, and their respective families from the potential transmission of COVID-19.
Due to the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 and the restrictions and safeguarding concerns this presented, on Tuesday 24th March we commenced a process of construction site closures which concluded in all of our active sites ceasing operations by the end of March, pending further instruction and evaluation as to how we could proceed in a safe manner.
On 31st March 2020 The RT Hon Alok Sharma MP, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy wrote an open letter to the construction sector acknowledging that construction workers cannot work from home. He also announced COVID-19-specific Site Operating Procedures (SOP’s) published by the construction leadership council. He closed the letter by praising the critical contribution the construction sector makes to the UK economy.
Having reviewed and evaluated this information in recent weeks, we recommenced reduced works on a select number of sites during week commencing Monday 27th April, working in strict accordance with the new SOP’s. The working practices follow the ELIMINATE, REDUCE, ISOLATE and CONTROL framework to mitigate and control the spread of the virus on construction sites. Our standard site welfare, risk assessments and method statements have all been heavily modified to accommodate these SOP’s. Our operations will be closely monitored to evaluate how these new SOP’s work in practice across our sites and offices.
Our SHEQ (safety, health, environment and quality) team and board of directors are closely reviewing the ongoing situation, relevant government guidance and the implementation of the new SOP’s to ensure the safeguarding of our valued workforce. Pending successful implementation across these initial sites, we hope to remobilise further construction sites and support functions during May 2020
Can I please ask that you continue to respect and support our hardworking teams in the coming weeks. Our offsite and support operations are been managed via a skeleton staff at our head office and remote working to ensure our construction sites are supported during these demanding and unprecedented times.
We hope everyone stays safe and we again thank those working tirelessly to provide critical frontline services.
Richard Hunter
Managing Director
Hobson & Porter Ltd.
What we ask of our Clients, Sub-Contractors and Suppliers.
**ATTENTION CLIENTS, SUB-CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS**: IF ANY OF YOUR EMPLOYEES HAVE VISITED A HOBSON & PORTER SITE OR OFFICE LOCATION IN THE PAST 14 DAYS AND HAVE SINCE HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, OR ARE CURRENTLY SELF-ISOLATING WITH SYMPTOMS, PLEASE INFORM OUR COVID-19 COORDINATOR IMMEDIATELY BY EMAILING covid@hobsonporter.com.
