The Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum has helped develop a new set of guidelines designed to keep staff and apprentices safe as colleges and training centres discuss reopening.
Compiled by Forum members the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), SELECT and SNIPEF, the presentation outlines practical day-to-day measures that colleges and apprentices can take to protect against COVID-19 when studies resume.
Its overarching principles are protecting the vulnerable, keeping contact lists updated, providing staff with relevant training, offering suitable facilities for hand washing etc, and ensuring that physical distancing is properly policed.
Other measures in the downloadable PowerPoint, entitled Lessons to be Learned, range from face coverings to risk assessments.
The guidance says staff should share the guidance with all lecturers and apprentices on a continual basis, with any apprentice not following the rules reported to their training provider for immediate action.
Fiona Harper, SELECT’s director of employment and skills, says: “With ongoing discussions about the resumption of studies, we are all obviously keen that apprentice safety is put firmly at the forefront.
“These recommendations are designed to be practical and easy to follow, with clear guidance on how to protect both apprentices and the college facilities themselves from the ongoing thereat of coronavirus.”
To help spread the message even wider, the presentation is being adapted into an animation that will be shared on social media and websites, encouraging apprentices to stay safe during their studies.
Fiona adds: “In everything we’re doing, the message is clear: We must work together to stop this virus, safeguard the young people in our industry and protect our wider communities and families.”
Download the guidance from www.cicvforum.co.uk/downloads
