To kickstart the construction sector and by extension the economy, the T&T Contractors’ Association is proposing the Government roll out a three phase approach.
The association’s president Glenn Mahabirsingh said this must be done within proper health and safety guidelines as hundreds of projects from both with the public and price sectors and those still on the drawing board have stopped due COVID-19.
In an interview with the Sunday Business Guardian Mahabirsingh explained that firstly there should be the reopening of all State projects, followed by private sector projects two weeks after and lastly new projects being given the green light to commence.
“Government projects will have strong oversight in terms of health and safety and management which would complement our guidelines for returning to work,” Mahabirsingh said.
He noted state projects include a range of work such as the bridges programme, the Cumuto to Sangre Grande Highway, HDC projects, police stations under the National Security Ministry, hospital projects including work on the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, Sangre Grande, Roxborough and Point Fortin hospitals.
Other state projects include a series of maintenance and rehabilitation projects under the Works Ministry including the Valencia upgrade works.
“If these key projects restart definitely, they would create a significant amount of employment in the industry,” Mahabirsingh added.
He advised that school projects which also fall under the State ought to begin as soon as the Government gives the go ahead, especially given the onset of the rainy season. Regarding the private sector, he said there are also pending housing projects and several commercial projects for instance a shopping mall in Trincity.
Saying that the private sector does not rely on the State’s resources to recommence Mahabirsingh said this sector however, will need to ensure the necessary safety measures are adopted to protect its workforce.
With the phased reopening, he said the supporting supply chain comprising raw materials like cement, aggregate, paint, roofing material must be rebooted.
“These supply chains need to be dove-tailed with the State projects,” Mahabirsingh emphasised.
No timeline has been recommended by the association for projects restart as Mahabirsingh said this cue will have to come from the Health Ministry.
“It’s all up to Government because we don’t have that expertise to determine a reporting date,” Mahabirsingh added.
He described construction as the fastest method of creating employment, especially in the shortest time. The association has been also been in a series of consultations with Gerry Brooks, co-chair of Government’s Recovery Committee.
Supply chains
COVID-19 has caused supply chains to be disrupted on a global scale and locally suppliers are also feeling the pinch.
Rodney Cowan, supply chain manager at Trinidad Cement Ltd, said April 16, 2020 was the last time the company supplied cement to the local market.
He said a large percentage of this has already been used.
“As a result there are some retailers with existing inventory and from what we understand from customers prices have been going up,” Cowan said.
A bag of cement, he said which normally retails at $44 has sky-rocketed to $120. The company has been deemed non-essential by the Government but not being in operation has had a significant impact.
“We have to get to a point where we need to restart operations safely.
“There is a significant cost we are incurring in keeping the plant in a position of readiness but there is limited revenue,” Cowan explained.
He added TCL however, has not had any layoffs. The company has close to 400 employees, both permanent and contracted employees.
Cowan said going forward it is critical that Government, working with the supply chain, ensures all safety protocols are in place for the safe operation of retailers and construction sites.
Guidelines for reopening
Mahabirsingh noted that many construction and manufacturing sites across the globe have already reopened, as governments ease restrictions, allowing some non-essential sectors to return to work.
He said while the general lockdown on communities and shops remains in place, the association believes the construction sector can resume in a safe and responsible manner.
To implement and support the Government’s social distancing recommendations and reopen of the construction industry, the association submitted a 22 page plan titled, “TTCA Site Operating Guidelines for COVID-19, Protecting Our Construction Workforce” to the Prime Minister.
Mahabirsingh said document is designed to give contractors a set of safe operating procedures during COVID-19.
“We strongly recommend that these procedures are implemented by every operational construction site, with the aim of us having a standard approach across the industry that all firms and workers can adopt,” he explained.
Our key objectives, Mahabirsingh said, is the safety and welfare of the workforce and minimising the economic fallout.
It is vital the health and safety requirements of any construction activity must not be compromised when they re-open, he added.
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 until alternative work methodology can be established, the plan advised.
“We are aware that our health care system is also under great pressure and may not be in a position to respond as quickly as usual,” Mahabirsingh said.
He noted the sector employs about 80,000 workers of which nearly all are without employment.
A larger percentage are also hourly workers.
The plan outlines a range of measures including:
• Stop all non-essential visitors
• Introduce staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact at all times
• Monitor site access points to enable social distancing—the number of access points may need to be changes, either increase to reduce congestion or decrease to enable monitoring
• Remove or disable entry systems that require skin contact eg fingerprint scanners
• Require all workers to wash or clean their hands before entering and leaving the site
• Allow recommended space (two meters) between people waiting to enter site
• Regularly clean common contact surfaces in reception, office, access control and delivery areas eg scanners, turnstiles, screens, telephone handsets, desks, particularly during peak flow times
• Reduce the number of people in attendance at site inductions and consider holding them outdoors wherever possible
• Drivers should remain in their vehicles if the load will allow it and must wash or clean their hands before unloading goods and materials.
• Where practical monitor and record temperature of personnel and visitors using non-contact measures eg infra-red thermometer.