Coronavirus and construction

The changes that have come through in response to the pandemic that has gripped most of the world have affected industries far and wide. Unable to escape these changes, the construction industry in New Zealand has had to seriously consider the impact of COVID-19 throughout its infrastructure. Now that we’re coming to the newest chapter of our lockdown, we can anticipate some changes to the relationship between coronavirus and construction in New Zealand - many of which will certainly be for the better. 

Kiwi Leadership Opinions, Support and Requirements To Get NZ Back On Track

It’s no secret that a significant number of Kiwi businesses have had to grind to a halt in Level 4, resulting in huge ramifications and lasting negative impacts which will echo long into the future. Unfortunately, this is simply our new reality - great sacrifices have been made on all fronts throughout New Zealand and the world in order to maintain our safety and wellbeing during this incredibly stressful and turbulent time. Following on from this, however, is the desire and need to plan for the future - how we can best spring back from COVID-19, maintaining the health of our workforce while keeping our industries alive.

The construction industry is one of these facets of New Zealand’s economy, with the $60b industry being slowed to a standstill during the first and most intensive portion of our lockdown. However, it is comforting to note that it is an industry that will likely not see this downtime last for long. Most Kiwi leaders and experts foresee a major revival of the construction industry as we cautiously approach Level 3, with the knowledge that the lucrative economic sector will continue to draw business as projects are restarted with gusto. 

New Protocols for Construction in New Zealand

To reap the benefits from our slightly relieved lockdown and keep the country from having to regress into another economic standstill, it is vital that all construction businesses and workers are aware of and compliant with the new requirements aiming to be put in place for everyone’s safety. Check out the basics here as we await the release and distribution of official safety guides to our workplaces. 

Hygiene

This one is a no brainer! Obviously, the threat of COVID-19 is still a looming one. Therefore, we must keep our heads on straight and continue to maintain thorough and effective hygiene practices if we hope to keep the industry open and the cash flowing through our businesses. The easiest place to start here is to ensure not only that the premises are kept sanitary, but also to provide cleaning stations (ideally with soap, water and hand sanitiser aplenty) and enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure the most minimal risk of transmission possible. 

Staff/Workplace Contact Tracing and Savvy Rostering

These two components come together because they are closely interlinked. The first step is to ensure that there are only as many workers onsite as is necessary; the fewer people around, the more difficulty the virus has in being able to jump from one person to another. The next step is to ensure that those staff members that are present are meticulously recorded. It is imperative that it is known exactly who was where and when if we are to maintain the vital component of effective pandemic control - contact tracing. 

It is evident that there are many ways that we as an industry can pull together, plan and execute a winning strategy in the fight against COVID-19. Let’s all continue to work together to keep our country and her economy safe, stable and strong. 

For detailed information straight from the horse’s mouth about coronavirus and construction, be sure to visit.