Mitigating COVID-19 risks during constructionA collection of illustrative approaches

April 2020

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IntroductionThe COVID-19 global pandemic is impacting construction projects on many levels. Delays, disruptions and uncertainty as well as increased costs will present a number of challenges. We are increasingly being asked about what approaches are being taken to manage the risks on active construction projects globally. Here we provide a collated view of practical steps that are being taken to manage the risks of the current COVID-19 epidemic to construction workers and to surrounding communities.

Drawing on our experience of delivering major construction projects across the world, experts in our Lenders Environmental and Social Advisory Team have collated a selection of illustrative approaches that reflect internationally recognised standards of environmental and social governance such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC)’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards (2012), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Performance Requirements (2019) and World Bank Group Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (various dates). These illustrative examples are therefore predominantly relevant to construction projects that are adhering to these international standards, as well as finance/investment providers that adopt the international standards.

The approaches illustrated have been collated through discussions with on-going construction projects that we monitor on behalf of finance/

investment providers in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, and a review of guidance that is being generated by various sources.

As part of our ongoing environmental and social advisory monitoring work on active construction sites, Arup is providing support to teams on the ground to ensure that active construction works do not place additional risks on workforces and surrounding communities, through potential adverse impacts on health, wellbeing, income security and safety.

The purpose of this document is intended to provoke ideas. The approaches presented are not exhaustive and nor should they be construed as best practice. Every construction site will have its own circumstances and ultimately, World Health Organisation (WHO) and host government advice should prevail.

PlanningEstablish ‘COVID-19 Committees’ to coordinate site-specific COVID-19 responses

Prioritise response to COVID-19 – make it the priority of all teams, including social / CSR teams

Evaluate risks - to the workforce, their families, to suppliers and to the community – consider the interlinkages / reliance between the Project and communities

Re-evaluate risks frequently as circumstances change

Review, update and/or generate work procedures, business continuity, emergency preparedness and response plans to reflect the risks

Develop procedures, recovery plans and have contingency measures ready if confirmed case occurs on site (e.g. deep cleans, setting aside isolation bedrooms for camp residents)

Determine minimum amount of labour and supervision needed to keep critical activities happening

Establish clear lines of communication and strategies for planning and managing the spread of COVID-19, with government and non-governmental health organisations, emergency services, or other support organisations

Revise work programmes – focus on programme critical, health and safety critical andenvironmentally critical activities

Consider new shifts to reduce worker numbers on site at any one time

Issues to consider when planning include, but are not limited to:• Worker health and virus spread throughout the workforce• Mechanisms for virus spread – airborne and physical• Spread into the community through local labour force, community engagement activities, site-induced activities (e.g.

food stalls outside camps), workers travelling on public transport• Worker wellbeing (e.g. if isolated / camps closed etc)• Effect of other workplace accidents / ill health on a potentially stretched health care system• Livelihoods of workforce, subcontracted workers, suppliers etc

Be prepared for enforced shut-down of sites, at short notice

Test and refine plans

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Keeping construction sites open

Construction sites operating during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic need to ensure they are protecting their workforce and minimising the risk of infection spread.

Social distancingIf an activity cannot be undertaken safely due to a lack of suitably qualified personnel being available or social distancing being implemented, it should not take place

Be aware that emergency services are also under great pressure and may not be in a position to respond as quickly as usual

Site Operating Procedures should be consistent with national efforts but also be cognisant of the local situation to avoid confusion and duplication of effort

Remind the workforce at every opportunity of the Site Operating Procedures which are aimed at protecting them, their colleagues, their families and the wider poplation

If an activity cannot be undertaken safely due to a lack of suitably qualified personnel being available or social distancing being implemented, it should not take place

Home working for those that can

Virtual meetings, or where meetings are essential, restricting numbers so social distancing can be actively practiced

Restrict or control employee travel

Altering shift patterns to reduce numbers on site so that social distancing can be achieved (can also help to reduce congestion on public transport)

Planning site activities to facilitate social distancing

Reduce camp densities and redistribute workers within worker camps to facilitate social distancing (e.g. reducing the number of people occupying a dormitory)

Secure alternative housing provisions for workers housed outside accommodation camps to facilitate distancing and to minimise interactions with communities

Close, or amend hours for canteens; stagger meals times and remove every second chair so that no one can sit beside or opposite another person

Stagger access to toilets, shower rooms, drying rooms and gyms etc to facilitate social distancing

Practice social distancing for toolbox talks

Reduce number of people attending training; hold training / awareness raising outside if facilities are cramped

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Health screening and cleaning Quarantine and access restrictions

Employee wellbeing

Active health screening, for example, employee checks at entrances to worker camps

Increase number of cleaners and frequency of cleaning, especially with common shared contact surfaces (e.g. door handles, drinks dispensers, taps, deskd, turnstiles)

Increase handwashing facilities and provision of protective equipment (e.g. hand sanitiser, gloves and face masks)

Increase the number of medical professionals employed at sites

Specific training for medical professionals related to COVID-19 response

Quarantine for incoming expatriate workers

Quarantine for all residents of an accommodation block / work group if onecase emerges

Work teams selected to reduce transmission risk (i.e. keeping work teamsfrom different camps / locations apart)

Use of questionnaires to assess risk for allowing access

Adopt contactless ways of accessing sites (e.g. removing finger-print access tosites; removing full body-turnstiles etc)

Restrict access and egress from camps and construction sites• No exit for camp residents (needs to be balanced by provision of other means to

assure wellbeing)• No, or highly restricted access from outsiders (e.g. essential supplies only)

Regular transparent communications to reassure workforce

Additional wellbeing options at worker camps e.g. providing televisions in each bed room; additional internet access; organising virtual exercise classes, faith group sessions or similar (survey the workforce to assess interest)

Support emotional and mental wellbeing of all employees by facilitating access to counselling resources, or organising relevant local groups like faith groups to be on-virtual-hand to support those in need

Wage and job protection

Include contractors in these benefits

Clear communication on how benefits can be accessed

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Community interaction Supporting project-affected communities

Assess and mitigate all activities that bring project personnel into direct, or indirect contact with communities.

Goal is to minimise risk of Project spreading virus into, within and between communities

Assess and mitigate all activities that bring Project personnel into direct, or indirect contact with communities

Revisit stakeholder engagement and information disclosure channels• How to safely keep communities informed• How to provide a safe means of collecting and responding to grievances.

Restrict /cancel face to face engagement, CSR activities etc.

Use alternative means, appropriate to the communities, to distribute information:• Social media• Online / virtual public information displays• Public address systems mounted on vehicles• Leaflets and posters

Temporarily suspend land acquisition activities through negotiated agreements etc (but keep affected people informed)

Consider opportunities to support Government efforts, or efforts of other community leaders e.g.

• Offer to organise and host events (while avoiding large gatherings)• Contribute to or run awareness campaigns• Make accommodation, transportation, or medical equipment available;• Assess what skills the Project has that might be useful and offer these (e.g. strategic

planning, logistics management, mapping, emergency preparedness or engineering knowhow etc)

Support community initiatives, e.g. making soap and hand sanitizer available in public places

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Anticipating site shutdown

Closing sites Useful resourcesConstruction Leadership Council, UK (2020). Site Operating Procedures – Protecting Your Workforce http://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Site-Operating-Procedures-23-March-2020.pdf

ILO, Guidelines on Decent Work in Public Emergency Services https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---sector/documents/normativeinstrument/wcms_626551.pdf

World Economic Forum (2015). Managing the Risk and Impact of Future Epidemics: Options for Public-Private Cooperation http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Managing_Risk_Epidemics_report_2015.pdf

World Health Organisation (WHO), 2020. Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf

World Health Organisation (WHO), 2020. Advice for the Public https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

World Health Organisation (WHO), 2020. ePROTECT respiratory occupational health and safety https://openwho.org/courses/eprotect-acute-respiratory-infections

Business and Human Rights Resource Centre – COVID 19 In depth area https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/covid-19-coronavirus-outbreak/

For the remainder of the time before shutdown, operate the site safely and responsibly under the agreed arrangements

Work in a way that minimises the risks of COVID-19 to employees, project members, staff, suppliers and community

Do not to start any new activity

Complete current activities (or to an appropriate stage) that can be safely brought to a stop whilst preserving the work completed

Request Contractors to prepare and submit an efficient plan of acceleration that will aim to mitigate delay in programme as far as reasonably practical

Undertake these actions in line with ethical, probity, contract and procurement rules

Leave site in a safe and tidy condition - ensure publicly accessible sites are left in a ‘safe’ state; e.g. no open excavations (this may require police support)

Leave site work in a condition that it will be preserved for a period of up to 6 months

Leave site in a condition that minimises the cost and effort of remobilisation

Leave site amenities secure and clean

Remove, or move site mobile plant to a secure location or leave it in an secure manner on site appropriate secure manner on site

Retain a skeleton staff to maintain equipment, security etc

Ensure ongoing employment / protect livelihoods, e.g. providing a basic ‘living wage’ during the suspension or enforcing paid vacation leave

Agree similar wage protection for workers engaged through subcontractors

Write these benefits into a Compensation Event or an appropriate legal form

Make payments to enable contractors to be cash flow positive

Reach agreements with workers, contractors, suppliers quickly but collaboratively

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Arup has a proven track record in helping investors (multilateral lenders, export credit, commercial banks or equity funds) and their clients manage environmental and social (E&S) risk, maximise return on investment and secure financing for complex project-finance transactions.

We deliver Independent Environmental and Social Consultant (IESC) / Lender’s Environmental & Social Advisor (LESA) services for ‘Category A’ major infrastructure projects across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. We are engaged to support our clients through all stages of prospective projects:

Applying globally recognised environmental and social standards, including the IFC’s Performance Standards, EBRD’s Performance Requirements, the Equator Principles, OECD Common Approaches amongst others. We are commissioned as stand-alone E&S advisors, or our E&S specialists work alongside our technical, commercial and financial advisors as part of broader Lenders Technical Advisory, Independent Engineer or similar commissions.

We shape a better world

For further information please contact:Colette Curran Associate Director – Lenders Environmental & Social Advisory Servicest. +44 121 213 3988 m. +44 7464 488 674e. colette.curran@arup.com

InceptionDue

DiligenceFinancial

CloseConstruction Operations &

Maintenance Re-financing

E&S Gap Analyses

Red Flags

Supplemental Assessments

ESDD

ESAP Preparation

E&S Loan Clauses

Supplemental Management Plans

ESMS and SMS Development Support

Training and Capacity Building

Review and Sign-Off of Conditions Precedent

E&S Monitoring and Supervision

Change Management

Training and Capacity Building

Sign-Off of ESAP Deliverables

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Change Management

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