In response to the Omicron variant, the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has republished its Branch Operating Guidelines to provide up-to-date guidance for the safe operation of builders’ merchants in England during Covid 19. Separate regulations and guidance remain in place for those in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The BMF Branch Operating Guidelines Version 6 (England only) incorporates the following key changes:
A revised introduction to recognise that working with COVID-19 is now ‘business as usual’ for the industry;
Appropriate language to reflect the current situation on site, for example ‘managing’ rather than ‘restricting’ numbers of workers;
Removing out of date references to when to go to work, shielding etc.
Publication of the latest BMF guidelines coincides with the release of updated Site Operating Procedures by the Construction Leadership Council.
BMF CEO, John Newcomb said: “With government guidance changing for England, the latest Branch Operating Guidance will help merchants remain in step and continue to ensure the safety of colleagues and customers.”
BMF members have also been provided with Build UK’s COVID‐19 flowchart (see image below, but click the link for a more easy-to-read version), updated in line with the latest rules on self‐isolation. Anyone who is asymptomatic and receives a positive lateral flow test in England is now no longer required to take a confirmatory PCR test.
