Construction’s New Normal- Week 1

Construction’s New Normal- Week 1

22/05/2020

–       Tomás Mac Eoin, Managing Director, McKeon Group

While essential works continued throughout the Covid-19 shutdown, this has been our first full week back on a number of sites since the pandemic restrictions were introduced more than two months ago.

Week 1

It has been an interesting week. While it was great to get back to some form of normality, adjusting to the changed workplace was not without its challenges.

Our office is open, albeit on a limited basis; staff members who can work from home are continuing to do so. Some spaces have been closed off and work areas have been moved around to ensure compliance with HSE social distancing guidelines. Also, the team has implemented a new desk-booking system for staff who need to attend the office. This helps us to stagger attendance, which ensures there are never too many people in one place at any given time. Advance planning is crucial and our booking system facilitates this.

Good 2 Go

On sites, we have followed the CIF’s Construction Sector C-19 Standard Operating Procedures  and developed our own methodologies for implementing these. We have a whole room dedicated to PPE in Ashbourne and that’s going out to the sites. Our team has split to work six-hour shifts all week, with each team either starting earlier or finishing later than usual, in order to maintain social distancing while minimising the inevitable productivity losses.

To ensure frictionless adoption of the new safety protocols, we have developed our own app called Good 2 Go in partnership with MJ Flood (our IT service provider), which facilitates the online registration of operatives prior to attending a McKeon Group site or meeting. Through the app, people must respond to a short number of key questions relating to Covid-19, including providing their unique CIF induction number. Upon successful completion, they are cleared for entry to site.

When operatives and site visitors present to a site – having already been cleared by the app –  the CV19 Compliance Officer will use the app to scan the person’s CIF induction card to confirm everything is in order. Once verified, operatives then move on to site induction.

The Good2Go app is now available, at no charge, to any company that wants to roll it out on sites, click here to learn more.

Site Walkthroughs

To further reduce the number of people on site at any time, unnecessary site visits are discouraged. However, as important decisions still need to be made in order to progress works, our site managers have embraced video walkthroughs of the sites for clients and design teams. In fact, they are becoming quite handy behind the camera! The video tours are amazing and the feedback has been great.

All in all, it has been a good first week back on sites. We head into Week 2 armed with a lot more practical experience and knowledge. And, for as long as necessary, we will continue to stay safe by staying apart.

About McKeon Group:

Established in 1950, this year marks the 70th anniversary of McKeon Group, which remains a family business. ISO certified for more than two decades, McKeon Group offers expert construction, fitout and building services. The Group delivers projects, services and maintenance across a range of sectors for State, local authority, FDI and private clients. For more information, contact: www.mckeon.ie