The response to COVID-19 is continually changing. We at Effective Building & Consultancy are committed to following any advice regarding the building inspection and construction industry based on the current health advice by the Public Health Orders.
Since July 31, Greater Sydney has already resumed building inspection and construction after a 2-week pause. Works can also commence at occupied residential premises requiring limited numbers onsite and strictly no contact between workers and occupants. This doesn’t include work in the identified LGAs of concern where only urgent works can be undertaken.
Last July 19, the pause was put in place to reduce mobility and limit the spread of the delta variant of COVID-19. Since then, the NSW Government has worked closely with the building inspection and construction industry to develop a new COVID-19 Safety Plan, which requires COVID-19 safe practices on sites to keep the community and workers safe.
This work builds on measures that most of Sydney’s construction sites already have in place, making sure the consistency is right across the sector. These also complement general controls, such as wearing masks, movement restrictions, reduced contact between workers within sies, improved tracing capability, and workers’ focus on getting vaccinated.
The worksites must fill in the checklist as a necessary condition when resuming operations. As per a new Planning Order worksites can operate on Sundays and public holidays until Christmas to compensate for the days off.
Effective Building & Consultancy will continue to adhere to the building inspection industry as further information becomes available.
As per Infrastructure NSW, they are working closely with those areas in the building inspection sector, including some industries, and seeking advice from the representatives. They advise anyone with the symptoms to get tested immediately and obey the NSW Health Advice.
In addition, construction sites should be closed in the local govèrnment areas (LGAs) of concern: Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Cumberland, Liverpool, Fairfield, Georges River, and Parramatta, unless the works are needed for the following reasons:
- To ensure the security or safety of the construction site
- To manage the environmental risks
- To stabilise the integrity of the partially completed works, that might deteriorate.
- To receive delivery supplies that are at risk of deteriorating.
- To maintain public utilities
- To ensure the safe operation of current transport infrastructure.
- On behalf of NSW Health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Due to emergency
No contact means:
- All must be electronic transactions.
- Residents must not be included in the premises where works will take place for at least 15 minutes before work and 15 minutes after departure.
- For outdoor works, residents should not enter the outdoor area where works take place.
- For indoor works, residents must move to the outdoor area and another building on the property or an indoor area divided by a non-permeable barrier. If this cannot happen, they must leave home for an allowed reason (such as exercise).
If the works exceed more than one working day, the work area must be marked as an exclusion zone and not accessible for the duration of works.
Service providers must not use amenities used by residents. Moreover, there should be no greeting service providers at the door. No contact should occur on both arrival and departure.
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