COVID-19 UPDATE
THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NI EXECUTIVE AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU...
Gettingback toporridge
Stormont, Parliament Buildings of Northern Ireland
T he NI Executive have recently published a document detailing the stages Northern Ireland will undergo as we slowly return to normality. Like many government- issued documents, it’s thorough, long and a little bit wordy for our liking, so we’ve summarised the important bits that all plumbing and heating professionals need to know! HOW IS THE NI GOVERNMENT GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE STEPS? The NI Government are timing their move out of lockdown based on the country’s transmission rate, now known simply as R. If R = 1, that means for every person who gets Coronavirus, there will be one more case to match it. Now that R = less than 1, the virus is reproducing in new cases slightly more slowly. The NI Government expect this ‘R’ number to fall slowly and steadily in the coming months, and as it falls, they will progress through the stages as planned, with appropriate NHS support and social distancing measures to make sure R does not rise up again. HOW HAS WORKING LIFE BEEN AFFECTED ALREADY? The document acknowledges how self- employed people are amongst those hit hardest by the current situation. The Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC) have estimated that the unemployment rate could
STEP FIVE: All able to return to work, subject to maintaining social distancing measures. Working from home will still be strongly encouraged and continue where possible. CONCLUSION There remains an onus on businesses to show how they can accommodate the current social distancing and other requirements if they are seeking to restart their work – Deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill has warned social distancing may be in place in Northern Ireland for the next 18 to 24 months. Though no specific dates are promised, First Minister, Arlene Foster has suggested it could take up to the end of the year before the Step 5 stage is triggered. Thankfully, it seems a lot of our industry should be able to return to work soon, as long as they feel it is safe for themselves and their families to do so.
reach as much as 6% or around 30,000 unemployed people in Northern Ireland.
WHAT ARE THE PROPOSED STAGES FOR RETURNING TO WORK? Please note that work updates are only listed in steps 1, 3 and 5 of the document from the NI Executive. AT PRESENT: In April, plumbers were listed amongst those in ‘Priority Sectors’ and have been able to carry out work responding to businesses and homes on a call-out basis for emergency, essential repairs and maintenance. STEP ONE: Those unable to work from home are to be encouraged to return to work on a phased basis, dependent on the ability to take the appropriate safety measures. These include social distancing rules, PPE when necessary and self-isolating if you have any coronavirus symptoms. This step should allow plumbers and contractors to continue with more routine work and allow construction sites to begin functioning again for contracted jobs. Those who are able to work from home are still encouraged to continue doing so when possible. STEP THREE: Phased return to back to office work wherever necessary and onsite working, subject to whether the necessary workplace safety guidelines can be followed or not.
For additional information:
www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/ publications/coronavirus-executive- approach-decision-making www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/ coronavirus-workplace-safety-guidelines- and-social-distancing
18 | PLUMBING & HEATING MAGAZINE
FOLLOW US ON:
www.plumbingmag.com
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online