Family-owned construction firm Beard is continuing to operate on more than 90 per cent of its sites, despite the wave of closures that the industry has seen in response to the spread of Covid-19.
Beard has fully implemented the Site Operating Procedures drawn up by the Construction Leadership Council. This ensures that staff and subcontractors working on Beard sites are not exposed to unnecessary risk. Additional safety measures include 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, these measures mean that Beard has been able to continue working on as many sites as possible. A key issue is the availability of building materials. Beard has engaged with relevant trade bodies to ensure it can continue to source supplies and to identify specific supply bottlenecks.
Mark Beard, chairman of Beard, commented: “The safety of all those working for us, and of the general public, is always our top priority. But when sites close, that results in a fall in demand for materials, and builders’ merchants shutting their doors. This can lead to more sites being forced to shut, due to lack of supplies. “The Government has given the industry a clear steer that it wants construction work to continue where possible. We are determined to do our bit to help turn the current vicious circle into a virtuous cycle.”
