Coronavirus Scotland: More calls for non-essential construction work to stop after cases at Glasgow Uni site
THE Scottish Government is facing further calls to close non-essential construction sites after a series of outbreaks.
Coronavirus cases have now been confirmed at the Glasgow Uni development in the city's west end, leading non-essential workers to down tools.
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Several new uni buildings are currently under construction on campus, including on University Avenue and at the site of the old Western Infirmary, near Byres Road. It is not yet clear at which site the outbreak occurred.
And a site in Tongue, Sutherland, was forced to close after a worker with Covid travelled over 300 miles to the yard, meaning a number of colleagues had to self-isolate.
Last week, Unite the Union said they have been "inundated with concerns" from workers who feel the safety measures on their sites are not good enough.
Scots construction site forced shut after worker with Covid travels 300 miles to yard
And the union said they "reacted with disbelief" at the decision to keep the industry open at almost 100 per cent.
Unite's Steven Dillon has now called for the Scottish Government to restrict construction to only essential work, as it was during the first lockdown in March.
He told the Glasgow Times: “We are aware of outbreaks at construction sites across Glasgow.
"Unite’s position is that we should revert back to the way building was in the original lockdown with only essential works operating and then start it back phase by phase as the numbers come down as we did originally.”
A spokesman for Multiplex, the main contractors at the Glasgow Uni site, said: “Protecting our workforce and the general public from Covid-19 is our number one priority.
“Multiplex was the first contractor in the UK to shut down all sites in response to the pandemic last March, and the procedures and protocols we have put in place have resulted in only a limited number of positive Covid-19 cases on our sites, including the University of Glasgow."
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Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We have been able to keep construction and manufacturing sites open in Level 4 by developing guidance with sectoral bodies and unions to ensure workplaces are as safe as possible.
"It is vital that all workplaces continue to follow this guidance, planning for the minimum number of people needed on site to operate safely and effectively.
“Employers must carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment, paying particular attention to workers who are disproportionately at risk due to underlying health conditions or the role they carry out, and only those who cannot do their job from home should be asked to go to the workplace.”
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