How Coronavirus has Affected the Scaffolding Industry
With coronavirus spreading globally, it’s no surprise that the scaffolding industry might also be affected. With millions of infected people by the end of 2020, the UK is one of the countries that is highly infected. To slow down the spread of the disease, the government has come up with a few measures.
As the situation gets worse, these measures have played a huge role in curbing the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. They include closing down schools, cancelling public events, banning large public gatherings and encouraging remote working. Of course, the mobile aluminium scaffold or construction industry will not be able to work with some of these measures.
At least 80% of workers in the scaffolding industry have not been able to work throughout the pandemic period. Some of the notable companies in the industry such as Kwikform had to come up with new ways to proceed with their jobs throughout the crisis.
The coronavirus pandemic has already affected the scaffolding industry in many ways. Many workers in various companies have been quarantined for the disease thereby leaving their jobs unattended.
Material Supply
The supply chains should also expect to suffer some consequences from the pandemic. Note that, some of the scaffolding materials such as fittings and tubes are imported from China, a country at the epicentre of the pandemic. Industry leaders in the scaffolding industry released a report outlining their planned processed.
Due to the nature of their business, and as previously planned, they will rely on their full production capacity during the winter period up until February. Also, they will continually expand their stocks in various factories throughout the world. This will be effected so that they are prepared for the spring and summer season when the industry is very busy.
For instance, Layher UK has already increased its stock levels due to the uncertainty over Brexit in the previous months. The company reported that they have a large stock of raw materials and are not dependent on supplies being imported from China. Therefore, they will have a lot of things ready for many months to come.
Scaffolding Training
Once the government put the lockdown in place, the scaffolding courses globally came to a halt, especially in the UK. As such, numerous scaffolders are unable to get the training they need to maintain safety in the scaffolding industry. Since these courses are not being delivered to many scaffolders, there is no opportunity to refresh their CISRS cards so there is a lot of uncertainty on the way forward.
Note that, both newcomers and established professionals in the scaffolding industry require this type of training. That’s because it continuously updates information on any changes in legislation and practices. As a result, various experts in the industry are continuously looking for new ways to ensure people get the training they need.
Construction Site Procedures
Right from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has been keen on progressing the construction industry. However, there are recommended restrictions in place to keep the work in progress. As such, the construction industry is severely challenged. Besides ensuring safety for the various construction challenges, they also need to ensure social distancing to avoid spreading the virus.
Most of the advice given about adopting these measures in the industry is generic. As such, scaffolding giants are working tirelessly to look for ways to apply these rules to their industry. They have come up with new rules and regulations to keep everyone in the industry safe. Of course, these regulations should comply with government recommendations. Just like all the other industries in the UK, the scaffolding industry is also facing a lot of challenges during the pandemic and there are measures in place to help the industry recover once the pandemic passes.