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Put Covid testing stations on major building sites’: CIOB

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has called on the UK government to set up Covid-19 testing stations on major construction sites to ensure any outbreaks are tracked and traced quickly.

The professional body said this would help the industry "bounce back quickly and safely".

Its proposal for major British construction sites to be integrated into the new NHS Test and Trace system is one of a number of recommendations submitted to a consultation on Covid-19 recovery by the UK Parliament’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee.

"The construction industry is set to play a key role in restarting the economy and facilitating national recovery, and it is therefore crucial that the industry receives the support it needs to return to work and cope with the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic," the institute said.

More than 86% of construction sites in England and Wales are open. The CIOB said major sites would make good locations for testing stations.

Eddie Tuttle, director of policy, research and public affairs, said: "This will help the construction sector – which is a vital part of the UK economy – to get back to full strength with confidence. It will also help improve public trust in the sector, which has been battling to keep essential infrastructure projects moving. Under our proposals the public will be sure that construction is doing everything it can to keep the virus under control."

Photograph: Cranes at the Battersea Power Station redevelopment, February 2019 (John Cameron/Unsplash) 

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