Question: What can employers do to reduce contact between employees in the construction workplace?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Construction and other outdoor work
section_headers: 4. Managing your customers, visitors and contractors
section_content: In this section

4.1 Manage contacts
4.2 Providing and explaining available guidance

4.1 Manage contacts
Objective: To minimise the number of unnecessary visits to the worksite.
Steps that will usually be needed:


Where site visits are required, site guidance on social distancing and hygiene should be explained to visitors on or before arrival.


Encouraging visits via remote connection/working where this is an option.


Limiting the number of visitors at any one time.


Determine if schedules for essential services and contractor visits can be revised to reduce interaction and overlap between people.


Maintaining a record of all visitors, if this is practical.


4.2 Providing and explaining available guidance
Objective: To make sure people understand what they need to do to maintain
safety.
Ensuring public notices are visible and help inform workers, customers,
visitors, contractors and the public to maintain social distancing whilst near
the workplace.
There is a high likelihood in some areas that working outdoors will draw the
attention of the public. Visible signage may be used to inform the public of
the type of work that is being performed.
Steps that will usually be needed:


Providing signage to inform the public as to the course of business.


Providing signage at entrances to the worksite to remind the public and workers to maintain social distancing.


Providing signage on rights of way that cross your workplace to remind the public to maintain social distancing.


Establishing host responsibilities relating to COVID-19, providing any necessary training for people who act as hosts for visitors.


*[COVID-19]: coronavirus

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has general information about reducing contact at work but doesn't specifically address construction sites.
This is an excellent answer because it provides information as to how employees and visitors / customers can social distance effectively. Therefore, this answers the question great.

Reviewer ratings:
Acceptable
Excellent

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Construction and other outdoor work
section_headers: 3. Social distancing at work
3.1 Coming to work and leaving work
section_content: Objective: To maintain social distancing wherever possible, on arrival and
departure and to ensure handwashing upon arrival.
Steps that will usually be needed:


Staggering arrival and departure times at work to reduce crowding into and out of the workplace, taking account of the impact on those with protected characteristics.


Providing additional parking or facilities such as bike-racks to help people walk, run, or cycle to work where possible.


Limiting passengers in corporate vehicles, for example, work minibuses. This could include leaving seats empty.


Reducing congestion, for example, by having more entry points to the workplace.


Using markings and introducing one-way flow at entry and exit points.


Providing handwashing facilities, or hand sanitiser where not possible, at entry and exit points.


Providing alternatives to touch-based security devices such as keypads.


Defining process alternatives for entry/exit points where appropriate, for example deactivating pass readers at turnstiles in favour of showing a pass to security personnel at a distance.



Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has general information about maintaining social distancing at work, but doesn't specifically discuss construction.
This is an excellent answer because it provides a detailed list as to how employers can implement social distancing measures at their business to keep employees and others safe. It also talks about hygeine.

Reviewer ratings:
Acceptable
Excellent

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Construction and other outdoor work
section_headers: 3. Social distancing at work
3.2 Moving around buildings and worksites
section_content: Objective: To maintain social distancing wherever possible, while people
travel through the workplace.
Steps that will usually be needed:


Reducing movement by discouraging non-essential trips within buildings and sites. For example, restricting access to some areas, encouraging use of telephones where permitted, and cleaning them between use.


Reducing job rotation and equipment rotation, for example, single tasks for the day.


Implementing one-way systems where possible on walkways around the workplace.


Using signage such as ground markings or being creative with other objects to mark out 2m to allow controlled flows of people moving throughout the site.


Reducing occupancy of vehicles used for onsite travel, for example, shuttle buses, and when needed, social distancing measures should be followed within the vehicles.


Separating sites into working zones to keep different groups of workers physically separated as much as practical.


Planning site access and ‘area of safety’ points to enable social distancing.


Reducing the number of people in attendance at site inductions and consider holding them outdoors wherever possible with social distancing.


Regulating use of high traffic areas including corridors, lifts, turnstiles and walkways to maintain social distancing.



Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has general information about social distancing in the workplace, but doesn't specifically address construction.
This is an excellent answer because it is a detailed list as to how employees can social distance at work. It also gives examples of procedures that keep employees clean throughout the workday.

Reviewer ratings:
Acceptable
Excellent