‘Health condition of workers must be documented’ — Lagos lists guidelines for construction sites during COVID-19

The Lagos state government has issued new guidelines for building construction sites across the state to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

The economy of the state was partially reopened on May 4, five weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a lockdown to check the spread of the virus.

In a statement, Ibrahim Salako, Lagos commissioner for physical planning and urban development, said the new guidelines seek to curtail the possibility of continuous spread of the virus on all building construction sites in the state.

“The Ministry has taken cognizance of the vital contribution of the Building Construction Industry to the economy of the State including employment generation and overall development, and has deemed it necessary to ensure that as the lockdown is gradually being eased in the industry, the health of the populace is not compromised,” the statement read.

“These guidelines form an update to the existing guidelines and regulations on Building Construction Site in the State. The guidelines must be displayed visibly (minimum of A0-Size Format) at strategic locations within the project site to guide compliance and guarantee safety of site workers as well as visitors to the site.”

Highlighting the guidelines, the commissioner said all necessary information on the COVID-19 as well as the contact details of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Lagos office, should be displayed on the building construction site for the benefit of all workers and visitors to acquaint themselves and comply with safety precautions.

He asked all building construction sites to maintain a register of all workers, conduct temperature screening and anybody with a temperature of 38°C or above should be referred to the NCDC without delay.

“Monitor and document the health conditions of all workers on site, on a daily basis. Ensure all building construction sites have First Aid facilities while buildings from 4 Floors and above have a room dedicated as Sickbay,” it read.

“Conduct operations as guided by existing regulations and these additional guidelines to minimize the transmission of the Covid-19 and other diseases amongst workers/ visitors within the building site;

“Promptly contact the NCDC, Lagos State in case of any suspected case of Covid-19 or related illness symptoms via 080097000010, 08000267662.”

The guidelines provide that number of workers per building construction site of 650sqm must be limited to 15, while buildings from four floors and above are allowed to have a maximum of 10 additional workers including supervising professionals.

It said physical distancing, frequent handwashing, and use of face masks, hand gloves, along with other personal protective equipment (PPE) should be employed.

Other measures include frequent decontamination of construction site, and a limit of 15 persons for project meetings.

“Physical handling/transfer of documents and money on site (payment of wages or for purchases) should be discouraged,” it read.

“Attendance at Project Meetings must be limited to Fifteen (15) persons. Plates, cups and other cutleries should not be shared and each worker should take responsibility for the cleaning of their personal belongings.”

The commissioner warned that any defaulting construction site will be shut immediately.