17 Apr Beard continues to run 90% of sites
The family-owned construction firm Beard, whose work include medical research facilities, special needs schools and MOD work, is continuing to operate on more than 90 per cent of its sites.
Beard fully implemented the Site Operating Procedures drawn up by the Construction Leadership Council to ensure that staff and subcontractors working on Beard sites were not exposed to unnecessary risk of infection.
Additional safety measures included lengthening the working day and resequencing work to allow different workers to be on site at different times and minimise the need for contact.
Although operational capacity has been reduced to around 50 per cent by these measures, and by the enforced absence of workers, by implementing a thorough safety regime, Beard has ensured that it is able to continue working on as many sites as possible.
A key issue is the availability of building materials. Beard has engaged with industry leaders and trade bodies such as the Construction Products Association (CPA) and received assurances that materials are available. While some builders’ merchants have been forced to close, many are still trading and able to supply sites that remain open. Beard is also working with the CPA to identify specific supply bottlenecks and support industry-wide action where necessary to address these issues.