SafeGroup Covid-19 disinfection vehicle
Reporter: Allan Roach – News
It may look like an unequal contest between a space astronaut and an 23t excavator – but this is how lives are being protected in the construction and quarrying industries.
A decontamination technician from SafeGroup wearing a full body suit and powered respirator gives the excavator long-term protection against Covid-19.
A broad-spectrum electrostatic disinfectant spray destroys the Covid-19 pathogen and bonds strongly to surfaces it is applied to, providing protection against the virus for up to 30 days.
This is helping reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission via high touch points on construction and materials handling machinery, such as cab door handles and controls.
As the government phases out Covid-19 lockdown measures, SafeGroup, headquartered in London, is working with an ever-widening range of businesses needing to protect premises and equipment against Covid-19.
It is also the first emergency cleaning specialist in the UK to provide Covid-19 surface testing – with results returned by the scientific laboratory within 72 hours.
SafeGroup Chief Executive Officer Steve Broughton said: “The local lockdown in Leicester shows Covid-19 has not gone away. Construction contractors and plant operators need to remain vigilant to protect their teams.
“Data from the Office for National Statistics shows male construction workers have among the highest death rates from Covid-19 in the UK with 25.9 deaths per 100,000 males.
“Construction companies and plant operators are doing all they can to change working practices to maximise protection. But building sites are among the most difficult spaces to make Covid-19 secure.
“This is making the long-term protection against surface contamination that we can provide especially valuable. Regular decontamination work to remove pathogens like Covid-19 could become the new norm for years to come.
SafeGroup Covid-19 protection excavator
“Covid-19 is a gamechanger in terms of workplace hygiene. The expectations of employees and customers on personal safety aren’t being heightened they’re being rocketed through the roof, which is why we’re offering testing to prove workplaces is free if Covid-19.”
The excavator treated by SafeGroup was at a quarry in Telford, Shropshire operated by brick manufacturer Michelmersh. The emergency soft FM specialist is also working with construction companies having to find entirely new ways to work due to Covid-19.
Amy Harris, Group Health, Safety and Training Manager for Michelmersh, said: “We want to ensure a safe environment for staff and customers, along with peace of mind that the working environment is being regularly disinfected and protected.
“SafeGroup’s Covid-19 treatment service has become a key part of our strategy to maintain a low-risk environment and has been welcomed openly by all our staff.”
A poll of 431 onsite construction workers by Construction News magazine found that 40% thought too many people flout new worksite social distancing rules and nearly 40% considered it impossible to stay two metres apart on a building site.
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