Following the decision of the Winvic Construction Ltd Board on 24th March 2020 to temporarily suspend works on our sites, we outline our current position as follows:
As our previous statement, we began safe and secure temporary shutdown procedures which required workforce site attendance over a number of days to do so. The effect of the Government announcement on Monday 23rd March was that the attendance of the sites’ workforce was greatly reduced due to the closure of hotels and weekday lodgings, unclear Government advice with conflicting messages and our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees, supply chain partners, client teams and the communities where we work.
The decision of the Winvic Board, which has received great support from many of our stakeholders, allowed our leadership team time and space to review each of our projects on site across the UK. We were able to assess the impact on the supply chain and their varied ability for Covid-19 response, the ability of the workforce to travel from home to work and back each day, and most importantly the Government and Public Health England (PHE) Guidelines appropriate to the UK Construction Industry.
Assessing each project individually, we have been able to repurpose site management staff, engage with the supply chain considering all guidelines for working practices, as well as redefining site welfare facilities and Site Operating Procedures.
Whilst heavily impacted by the effect of the Covid-19 response, we have been able to continue with some site work operations, albeit in a limited capacity, and we are able to reschedule the operations of following trades where safe operating procedures allow.
From the Prime Minister’s announcement to the nation on Monday 23rd March, our workforce reduced over the week to 8.5% of the Monday 23rd total site attendees. Since our revised operations, we are now operating at approximately 25% of the workforce levels of Monday 23rd, the numbers varying from site to site and day to day dependent on which procedures we can safely operate. All sites remain very heavily impacted by the current situation and some sites are unable to re-open as the workforce is currently unable to live away from home during the working week.
The impact on material suppliers has been varied with some closed completely, others with limited supply and others trading as best as conditions allow; impacted not just by restrictions in the UK but, elsewhere in the global supply chain.
Government guidance for the UK Construction Industry is that where work cannot be undertaken from home you may travel to and from your place of work. All Government and PHE Guidelines must be followed in respect of social distancing and health and hygiene.
We are working in unprecedented times and Winvic Construction Ltd remains committed to the health and wellbeing of our employees, supply chain partners, client teams and the communities where we work. The decisions of the Board will be under continuous review over the coming period.
Simon Hunt
Managing Director
Winvic Group
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