Date published: August 20, 2020
Concerns Tackled, Confidence RestoredIn this fourth article examining property maintenance, planned maintenance projects, and coronavirus-related health and safety issues, we answer the most common questions we’re asked on the ground and at head office. These cover the queries we receive from our clients’ management teams and the residents of the projects we execute.
Yes. Property maintenance work can now be carried out. However, there are extra rules in place. We also take a common-sense approach to work.
If the resident is self-isolating or considered vulnerable, we may delay maintenance work – unless it is an emergency or life-threatening, in which case we’ll take extra measures to mitigate any risks.
Certainly not. In fact, planned maintenance projects are critical to ensure that future maintenance needs are minimised, and costs are contained. However, to protect against the potential of coronavirus infection, we’ll be taking extra precautions. For example, when working in a resident’s home, we’ll need to ensure that the resident isn’t in the same room as our maintenance workers. Other best practices include wearing facemasks and other PPE in certain situations, and regular hand washing and sanitising of equipment and tools.
Our maintenance staff will clear up after any work carried out. This includes sanitising the area using the latest technology and best working practices. We’ll pay particular attention to touchpoints such as door handles and work surfaces. We’ll also explain what we’ve done and how we’ve made areas safe.
Property maintenance work is likely to take a little longer than usual during this time. This is because of all the extra steps and processes our property maintenance services teams are taking to minimise coronavirus risks. These include social distancing, wearing of PPE, regular cleaning of hands, and sanitising equipment if it is shared. Maintenance may take a little longer, but it’s a price of maintaining a healthy working environment and ensuring the safety of residents.
The COVID-19 regulations are under constant review, and we receive updates as soon as they are released. These are then shared with our staff and our own policies are updated. If extra training is needed (for example, on a PPE regulation), all staff are provided with that training.
Yes, and, just as before the coronavirus lockdown, in many cases site visits are essential to ensuring proper maintenance work is carried out. However, just as when working on-site, there are some specific rules to be followed. These include social distancing regulations and the wearing of appropriate PPE (such as facemasks and gloves) when we carry out inspections.
We call ahead to make sure that it is still safe for us to carry out maintenance work, and we’ll be in constant contact with the property manager. If there is an outbreak of COVID-19, then we’ll put all non-essential work on hold.
You may hear a little more noise from your maintenance teams. They need to communicate to each other when they are working, and social distancing and the wearing of facemasks (if needed) make it harder to hear each other. If we’re a little noisier than usual, we apologise.
All our maintenance professionals must check in daily to tell us of their health condition. We’ll also monitor this, by carrying out tests such as taking temperatures. Any of our staff who report symptoms or have a high temperature must self-isolate.
When working, our maintenance team will be taking extra precautions – including wearing PPE and regular sanitisation of hands and tools. If they are working in your home, you’ll be asked to stay in a separate room while the work is being done.
We’re taking all the precautions we can to make sure that our workers, your employees on-site and your residents are kept safe from COVID-19 when we carry out any maintenance work. We are pulling all the latest COVID-19 news and regulations as they are released, and put these into practice in a timely fashion.
You’ll find more details about our COVID-19 response and secure services on our website, including:
If you have any questions that we haven’t covered in this article, please ask us by sending us a secure message.
Office 2 Prenton Business Park, Prenton Way, CH43 3EA
