Updates statement about status of BAM sites: BAM building special Covid-19 facilities

Updates statement about status of BAM sites: BAM building special Covid-19 facilities

Hemel Hempstead, 30 March 2020 - Following extensive checks and agreements with our project teams, clients and supply chain, we are re-starting work today at a number of sites across the UK including existing projects critical to the national Covid-19 effort. We are also starting work on new projects to build emergency Covid-19 wards.

The industry and government have jointly defined new ways for sites to operate, including avoiding congested public transport and maintaining as far as possible the two-metre social distancing guidance. 

Our teams around the country have been reviewing and redesigning work at all sites. This has allowed discussions to be had with our clients, sub-contractors and those employees who are willing and able to work at sites, about re-opening. To support this, we have significantly reduced the number of people who will be present on our sites to help us work safely. 

We will keep the working arrangements under constant review. The closed sites are predominantly in Scotland, London and the Midlands and we continue to work on how these can be safely re-opened at a future date. 

We have also been working closely with the NHS, Department for Health and the UK Government on numerous critical healthcare schemes around the country, building new facilities or adapting current facilities to treat Covid-19 patients.

Across the country, our Facilities Management teams continue to provide essential buildings management, cleaning and catering services to the emergency services, local authorities and those schools remaining open for key workers’ and vulnerable children. In order to maintain services, and where possible BAM FM employees that serve private sector clients are re-deploying to fill roles serving the public sector that are unfilled due to illness or self-isolation. 

BAM Construct UK Chief executive James Wimpenny said: ‘Buildings are central to people’s lives, and at this time they are also central to saving people’s lives. These are the most extraordinary and concerning times for us all. We are all in this together, working hard to save lives and livelihoods.  I want to thank everyone at BAM for everything they are doing to keep themselves and their families safe, and for responding so well to rapidly changing circumstances.’