Currently, the Covid-19 epidemic is progressing in a complicated way many localities, especially in several southern provinces. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic on the construction site to ensure the health and life of workers. Therefore, relevant departments, agencies, and People's Committees of districts, towns and cities need to apply necessary measures at the request of the Ministry of Construction, which includes:

The specialized construction agencies to disseminate prevention information to people and organizations participating in construction activities in the area, applying "Guidelines to ensure the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control on construction sites". 

Organizing periodical and irregular inspection of requirements on Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control according to regulations of the Ministry of Health, localities and the above-mentioned guidance at the construction works in the area.

For localities and sections that are implementing Directives No. 15/CT-TTg and 16/CT-TTg, based on actual local conditions, the competent authority shall decide whether to allow specific process is organized for construction. For areas with very high risk (red zone), all construction works must be temporarily suspended, except for construction works used for epidemic prevention and control purposes.

Accordingly, a number of regulations in the "Guidelines for the Covid-19 prevention and control on construction sites" of the Ministry of Construction are as follows:

1. Responsibilities of the Investor:

- Establishing a Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control (hereinafter referred to as the “Steering Committee”) on the construction site, including: Representative of the investor, supervision consultant, site manager, safety supervisor of the contractors, health workers... (Members); assigning specific tasks to each member of the Steering Committee and publicize contact information of the members;

- Periodically and immediately inspect and evaluate the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control according to the “Plan” for all contractors on the construction site and request the contractors to have plans to solve any arising issues (if any).

2. Responsibilities of Contractors:

- Establishing task force in charge of COVID-19 prevention and control in accordance with the scale, characteristics and tasks of construction on the construction site (including the site managers, people in charge of safety work, a number of technical staff, health workers...); assigning specific tasks to members of the task force and publicize phone numbers for contact; coordinating with the "Steering Committee" to perform the tasks;

- Assessing the risks of COVID-19 infection on the construction site before construction to make a “Plan” in accordance with the content in Section 4 and submit it to the Investor for approval;

- Ensuring and maintaining safety conditions for construction and manufacture on the sites as prescribed;

- Implementing the regulations and instructions on the COVID-19 prevention and control on the construction site; disseminating information and organizing workshops for employees under their management on regulations on the COVID-19 prevention and control in line with the guidance of the locality, the health sector and the "Steering Committee"; handling violations if any organizations and individuals under their management fail to comply with regulations;

- Updating and providing timely information about locations and areas with COVID-19 epidemic or being isolated to notify Employees under their management to be pro-active in prevention;

- Ensuring safety, health and minimum living conditions for employees in the case the construction site is quarantined for a long time when a COVID-19 case is detected;

- Coordinating with qualified medical facilities to organize testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus for employees under their management in line with regulations on epidemic prevention and control mentioned at Point 6 of Section 4 of the Guidelines;

- Actively contacting the local health facilities to get early COVID-19 vaccination for employees under their management;

- Minimizing activities with many gathering people, reducing the density of workers at the work places; applying information technology to work online when performing internal tasks in construction activities (for example, holding meetings; checking/adjusting designs; making construction drawings, construction methods, construction quality management documents and other appropriate types of work);

- Complying with regulations on labour safety and hygiene, fire and explosion prevention, and environmental sanitation;

- Periodically and immediately monitoring, inspecting and evaluating the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control of employees under their management to have a plan to overcome shortcomings (if any) or adjusting "Plans" to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic accordingly.

3. Responsibilities of Employees:

- Complying with regulations and measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic on the construction site and places with many gathering people (if any); fully use personal protective equipment, medical equipment and instruments already allocated for the construction site; strictly implementing the 5K principles (mask, medical declaration, no gathering, distance and disinfection); taking measures to ensure health and personal hygiene as recommended by the Ministry of Health;

- Not hiding symptoms of COVID-19 infection (fatigue, fever > 38oC, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, decrease or loss of taste or smell ...) of yourselves or, those around you; if detected, immediately notifying the task force or the people in charge of COVID-19 prevention and control on the construction site or concentrated residence for timely response plans;

- Only working on the construction site when the following conditions are ensured: In good health condition, no signs of suspected COVID-19 infection, not subject to medical isolation as prescribed by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, making medical declaration and fully declaring information. 

4. The COVID-19 prevention plan: According to the guidelines of Decision No.2194/QD-BCDQG dated May 27, 2020, which includes:

- A list of tasks to be implemented, together with the Executors and implementation, supervisors, inspectors and approvals;

- Identifying locations and areas at risk of virus transmission on the construction site and corresponding measures to reduce risks and preventing infection;

- Preparing transport plans and control measures to ensure safety for epidemic prevention and control for the transport and supply of fuel, materials, construction materials and other services for construction and daily life of the workers on the construction site;

- Preparing plans for transporting people, models of construction at the construction site;

- Making plans to handle and arrange areas for temporary isolation in the cases the employees show symptoms of COVID-19 infection or in close contact (F1, F2) with a virus infected case (F0 ) discovered at the construction site according to the provisions of Sections VI, VII of the Guidelines of the Decision No. 2194/QD-BCDQG dated May 27, 2020;

- Making plans to organize SARS-CoV-2 testing for employees under their management in line with the regulations on epidemic prevention: Before implementing the "3 on-site" plan or the "1 route, 2 destinations" plan, all workers on the construction site must have negative test result for SARS-CoV-2 virus (Rapid Test/RT-PCR) which is carried out in accordance with regulations of the health sector. During the construction process, the employer must organize screening tests, alternately by antigen rapid tests or SARS-CoV-2 tests by pooled RT-PCR method, every 5 -7 days for at least 20% of workers at a construction site (special attention is paid for high-risk subjects: security guards, team leaders, warehouse managers, material delivering and receiving people, supervisors, site managers and deputies, project managers). If a test result is positive, isolation and single sample RT-PCR testing must be organized to confirm and implement the Action Plan as planned.

- Making plans to ensure safety, health and minimum living conditions for workers in case the construction site is isolated for a long time (when a virus infection case is detected);

- Making other necessary preparations suitable to the actual conditions of the Contractor and the specific characteristics of the site.

5. Safety conditions for construction:

- Risks of COVID-19 infection at the construction site must be at the low level or below that according to the guidelines in Decision No. 2194/QD-BCDQG dated May 27, 2020 of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control;

- Body temperature check, medical declaration, mask wearing control for all workers entering/exiting the construction site must be organized; unauthorized people are not allowed to enter the construction site;

- A separate area must be arranged for people coming for work or transaction at the construction site and the number of people, place of residence, and phone number information must be under control; compulsory implementation of 5K is applied;

- Workers on the construction site must ensure the conditions and regulations and must be fully equipped with personal protective equipment;

- Reasonable construction measures are in place to ensure the distance in line with regulations; close contact is minimized. In the case of force majeure, due to work characteristics close contact of less than 2m is needed or there is risks of infection, the employee must be equipped with and use glasses (face-hugging type) or use masks;

- Technical measures must be taken to ensure ventilation when working indoors, in closed spaces (for example, closed rooms, underground floors...);

- Contact information (names, phone numbers) of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control must be publicly posted on the construction site;

- Organizations and individuals that provide supplies, materials, equipment and services to the construction site must make commitments to ensure compliance with local regulations on epidemic prevention and control when entering/exiting the construction site;

- The medical team on the construction site must be equipped with all necessary medical equipment and tools to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic: such as thermometers, medical masks, soap, hand sanitizer solution (containing at least 60% alcohol), common medicine... and a separate room/area is arranged for situations when any persons are detected with suspected virus infection according to the guidance of the health sector;

- For food, drink, accommodation/resting areas for employees:

- If employees are transported by car, the regulations on the number of people in the vehicle, ventilation, temperature check for employees, hand washing and disinfection, list management, vehicle cleaning and disinfection and other regulations must be strictly followed;

- Daily environmental cleaning and disinfection at the workplace must be performed as prescribed in Section V of the Guidelines attached to Decision 2194/QD-BCDQG dated May 27, 2020 and Appendix 3 to Decision 3638/QD-BYT dated May 27, 2020 July 30, 2021 of the Ministry of Health on the issuance of temporary guidance on monitoring and prevention of COVID-19 epidemic.