Bhubaneswar: After allowing resumption of construction activities from April 20, the state government has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) to be followed at construction sites.
Additional Chief Secretary-Rural Development department, PK Jena has issued the SOP and asked all secretaries, Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) and Collectors to ensure strict implementation of this in government as well as the private sectors to prevent spread of COVID-19 and also to protect the workers/construction personnel from heatwave.
Jena asked for strict enforcement of social distancing parameters at the work sites among the labourers, technicians, supervisors and others involved in the construction process. Face masks are to be mandatorily used by all during the entire period of stay at the work site.
If workers are required from outside, special transport facility will be arranged by the contractor or construction agency without any dependency on the public transport system, the SOP said.
No gathering or close proximity among workers shall be allowed. Contractor and construction agency will ensure provision of hand wash with buckets of water and mugs with soap and towel arranged in such a way that workers don’t have to gather around to wash their hands, it said.
The construction firms have been asked to put up display boards containing dos and don’ts issued by Health and Family Welfare department.
Senior citizens, sick, elderly and people having symptoms of cold, cough, sneezing are not to be allowed to work in the worksite. If such symptoms are seen with workers, the concern contractor will make arrangement for health consultations of concerned workers in the nearest health centre.
Besides, in view of the rising temperature, the government has asked the contractors to make provision of adequate shading at the work places. No work should be executed during the peak hours from 11 am to 3 pm.
“There should be adequate, safe potable drinking water for the workers and other personnel. There should be first-aid-box containing essential medicines, ORS, Glucose etc. at the worksite for the workers. Safety Health and Environment (SHE) parameters will be observed at construction sites,” read the SOP.