How long it will take the construction to recover from the struggles caused by Covid-19 is hard to tell. But players in the industry can all agree that how well we are able to bring the Covid-19 virus under control will have a lot to do with it. Our collective success with the virus will mean building materials will be easier to procure and that workers can stay healthy and put in more work hours, which will help to finish all the stalled projects.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is banking on a “firm commitment” amounting to billions of rands for 55 bankable infrastructure projects that he received before the pandemic to steer the construction sector towards recovery in 2021.
Among the 55 projects that government has earmarked for development is an aviation park near Upington, a smart city in Lanseria, an R3.1-billion Space Infrastructure Hub, a 516-hectare citrus farm in the Eastern Cape, and a water project that includes some 160km of pipe, and pump stations to get water to Eskom’s large power stations, Medupi and Matimba, among other projects.
Additional health and safety requirements to help the construction sector manage the Covid-19 virus
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the South African government issued additional health and safety requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). Quantity surveyors, contractors, and other stakeholders in the built environment scrambled to determine the way forward on active construction projects as well as tenders for new projects. The industry has since managed to adapt its operations to the new rules.
The construction sector is one of South Africa’s major economic contributors, and it will be a sector that government prioritises due to the labour-intensive activities it offers. The new guidelines by the ASAQS will greatly assist quantity surveyors, contractors, and employers on how to minimise the risks of COVID-19 transmission and illness to themselves and their employees on construction sites.
The government knows the creation of new jobs will soften the blow of the fiscal crisis that COVID-19 has brought about. With the new infrastructure rollout, Quantity Surveyors and other professionals in the built environment need to make sure they comply with the new health and safety rules so that construction activities can move ahead swiftly without exposing workers to the risk of Covid-19 infection.
How the construction sector is using printing services to manage the Covid-19 risk
Printing is an essential business serving critical industries during COVID-19. The construction industry is using Print services for construction site signage, public safety Posters and Signs, special notices and letters to residents, and worker safety posters, signs, and guidelines.
Property developers, quantity surveyors, and contractors face many challenges with their projects as they navigate the uncharted terrain created by COVID-19.
As a construction sector player, you have an important part to play in making sure your project sites adhere to safety guidelines so they don’t become Covid-19 transmission hotspots. Minuteman Press Bryanston can help you through our printing services enforce social distancing and to remind workers of the responsibility they also bear in keeping Covid-19 out of their job sites. Contact us here for more information.
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