The Philippines’ construction industry was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry Research, the nation’s building sector will grow by 3.6% in 2020, rather than by 5.8% as the think tank earlier predicted. This estimate is largely a result of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) imposed on March 16, 2020. The measure ordered the closure of public transportation and all non-essential businesses and the suspension of travel to and from Luzon.
Construction Revival in the GCQ
Although most building activity in the country will eventually resume as the ECQ is gradually lifted, the continuation is not without challenges. Contractors will have to deal with shortages in materials and equipment, as manufacturers and importers ceased operating in compliance with the forenamed directive. With no supplies produced or brought from abroad, stores have nothing to sell to developers. The remaining inventories of unused erection items may become inaccessible due to logistics companies running on a limited scale.
Moreover, COVID-19 continues to escalate in the state. As of June 2020, the palatinate has 25,930 cases of the disease, with 1,088 fatalities. The worsening of the pandemic amid the ECQ means traders risk their health going back to work. This is especially true for those in the construction business, since most of their tasks are performed outdoors. For instance, a roofer’s job description includes cladding or the application of a waterproof layer over a roof to shield it against the elements.
While working alfresco, a roofer can catch the ailment from an asymptomatic client or colleague. If he reports to his employer’s office before and after his shift, he can pass the illness on to his superiors and other colleagues. Once he gets home, he can transmit the bug to his family.
In the event that he comes down with symptoms of the malady, he will be compelled to stop working, which will lead to less money and huge medical bills for his household. If his family members get sick as well, their healthcare expenditures will further rise. To pay for hospitalizations and treatments, they may have to borrow money from relatives and friends, pushing them further into poverty.
COVID-19 is equally detrimental to the employer. The former translates to frequent employee absenteeism and reduced productivity and profits. To compensate for its losses, the company may retrench some workers or close shop altogether.
Secure Building in the Pandemic
The aforementioned scenario, however, does not have to mean that roofing manufacturers in the Philippines must keep their operations suspended until the quarantine is completely over. Below are some tips on how the construction workforce can function safely in the coronavirus epidemic. Roofing firms simply have to observe these precautions so that their laborers can carry out their duties without exposing themselves to the virus.
Wash Hands with Soap and Clean Water for 20 Seconds
Health experts claim that frequent and correct handwashing is one of the most effective ways to avert COVID-19 transmission. The appropriate times to wash hands include:
l Before and after eating
l After coughing or sneezing
l After using the toilet
l After touching construction materials
l After performing erection jobs
l After handling garbage
How can handwashing be made to last for 20 seconds? Singing Happy Birthday while scrubbing.
Go Digital as Much as Possible
Successfully fulfilling social distancing requires minimizing the need for customers to visit the roofing shop. Project details can be discussed via phone, email, social media or videoconferencing. Important documents like estimates, waivers, proposals and invoices can be scanned and sent through email. Payments can be done using online platforms. With digitization, clients can still avail of roofing services without going outdoors and risking infection.
Are you a contractor looking for a roof supplier? Make it easy for provisioners to communicate with you by reaching out to them through their websites. Apart from top-notch roofing products and services, Union Galvasteel Corporation also has a website where developers can conveniently contact them for inquiries. With web messaging, we maintain effective communication with builders while keeping them out of harm’s way.
Keep a Healthy Distance from Customers
If it is really necessary to perform onsite repairs or replacements, roofers must stay at least six feet away from clients. This interval will lower their likelihood of catching the sickness from someone who coughs or sneezes.
Use Protective Gear
Roofers should use gloves, face masks and face shields while working. Face masks and shields insulate them from droplets carrying the COVID-19 virus. Gloves prevent their hands from touching surfaces that are harboring the microbe. These safety equipment must be regularly cleaned or replaced. Reuse and sharing should be strictly is prohibited.
Sanitize Routinely
Hand sanitizers must be available both in manufacturer’s office and job sites.
Let Sick Staff Stay at Home
Even if they are ill, many roofers will insist on going to work because they are afraid of missing a day’s wage or, worse, getting fired. Their bosses must assure them that their health is more important than profits and provide them with adequate sick leaves. These will encourage ailing personnel to rest and recover at home rather than force themselves to report to their jobs and subsequently infect associates and customers.
An Opportunity for Growth
It is true that the COVID-19 crisis disrupted many industries in the Philippines, including building. Yet in the case of roofing manufacturers, the contagion can be an opportunity to make their activities safer and more efficient. Such procedures may be time- and resource-intensive at first, but these will help roofing enterprises withstand the contagion and emerge from it with their businesses and profits intact.
Union Galvasteel Corporation manufactures, delivers, and installs roofing, walling, and claddings in accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols. To know more about our products, call our Calamba office at tel. nos. (02) 8520-8823; 8520-8831 Trunkline or (049) 545-0084 to 86 Trunkline or click here.
