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COVID-19 Information Sharing

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This is an online information centre for information and best practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association of Noise Consultants and the Institute of Acoustics have updated their Guidance on the Practicality and Reliability of Baseline Sound Level Surveying and related matters during the current COVID-19 pandemic to Version 6. It can be found here.

This page also includes links to useful information provided by others which relate to running your business and how the construction sector is affected.

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Support for Business

Recovery Loan Scheme  – Businesses of any size can continue to access loans and other kinds of finance up to £10m per business once the existing COVID-19 loan schemes close, providing support as businesses recover and grow following the disruption of the pandemic and the end of the transition period.

Help to Grow – Take your business to the next level  – an Executive Development programme that could help you improve business performance and growth potential through Help to Grow: Management; and free online advice and money off software that could help you save time and cut costs through Help to Grow: Digital

Government Advice

All the information on government advice and support relating to COVID-19 for businesses, including furloughed staff, can be found here.

Guidance on working safely during Covid available here.

Guidance on extending construction working hours available here. 

Guidance on working safely on construction sites or out of doors available here.

Guidance on working safely in people’s homes available here.

Guidance on safer travel available here.

Government letter confirming construction industry may operate available here

A  ‘support finder’ tool to help businesses and the self-employed quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.

Guidance on Social distancing in the workplace during coronavirus (COVID‐19), includes sections on construction and the use of private vehicles and car pooling for travelling to work

Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and Build UK

The CLC has  produced Site Operating Procedures version 9

Guidance on use of face coverings on construction sites available here.

Guidance on what to do if a worker has Covid-19 available here.

Build UK authorisation letter template for employers to use available here.

Contractual Guidance

Build UK  has produced Managing COVID‐19 within Contracts, providing an overview of how to deal with the effects in existing and future contracts.   Build UK and Wedlake Bell previously produced comprehensive guidance for all parties in the supply chain on contractual issues caused during shutdown due to coronavirus.

HMRC and tax information 

KPMG and Build UK have provided guidance on tax measures introduced by HMRC in response to coronavirus, including Time to Pay, business rates and property‐related grants, income tax deferral, VAT, and corporate tax.

Job retention scheme calculator

Guidance on calculating your employee wages to claim

Steps to take before calculating your claim

CPD Activity

During this period, members may have some additional time to commit to CPD activity. This can take many forms and there is a vast catalogue of on line learning.  For larger companies these might be in house resources.  There is an ever increasing range of on line resources and activities being produced by the professional bodies.  The following is a list of common CPD activities

  • In-house and / or external training courses
  • Distance learning programmes
  • Self-directed private study
  • Preparation and delivery of papers, lectures and presentations
  • Attendance at relevant meetings, lectures, seminars and conferences
  • Relevant voluntary work – e.g. STEM ambassadors
  • Reviewing technical publications, relevant standards and guidance documents

Impact on acoustic consultancy work

 

  • Noise surveys may need to be of shorter duration or at different times than would normally be undertaken.
  •  It may not be possible to use recently collected baseline noise survey information (for example, due to travel restrictions and untypical noise conditions), so previously collected or other alternative comparable data may need to be considered;
  • Noise assessment methodologies may need to be amended to take account of technical data that cannot be reasonably obtained at that time. Technical reports and assessment documents  may have to contain adapted methodologies from those considered typical, although still following best practice as far as is reasonably possible;
  • Environmental Health Officers at Local Authorities will be asked to adopt a pragmatic approach to considering technical documents accompanying planning applications, which, whilst not perhaps being carried out in the typical way, are still technically robust in accordance with good practice.

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