BUILDERS are "furious" sites remain open despite fears over the spread of coronavirus, according to a leading trade union. 

Unite said its members in the building industry were in "disbelief" that construction works on non-essential sites were still going ahead, despite draconian measures put in place in other businesses to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The union called on the Scottish Government to close sites deemed non-essential, as happened in April last year. 

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It is claimed workers are “crisscrossing” the country to go to work and some sites have as many as 300 workers present. 

Unite’s regional coordinating officer Steve Dillon fears new variants of the virus - understood to be more transmissible than previous strains - could already be spreading among workers. 

He said: “Unite has been inundated with concerns from construction workers that Covid measures on-site are not adequate some with over 300 workers on them. Thousands of construction workers were furloughed during the first lockdown and construction was phased back in a managed step by step process. 

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“The present situation is very different from last April in that the sector is practically operating at 100% despite the new strain of the virus being far more transmissible.”

Last April, the government closed all building sites not involved in the urgent response to the Covid crisis or those crucial to infrastructure. 

Workers’ wages must also be protected by any measures introduced by the Scottish Government to limit the spread of the virus, the union demanded. 

The Scottish Government defended its decision to keep sites open, pointing out sites were required to undertake Covid risk assessments on all projects. 

The Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart, urged any worker with concerns about their work to contact the Health and Safety Executive or the local authority

He said: “We have been able to keep construction and manufacturing sites open in level four by developing guidance with sectoral bodies and unions to ensure workplaces are as safe as possible. It is vital that all workplaces continue to follow this guidance, planning for the minimum number of people needed on-site to operate safely and effectively.

"Employers must carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment, paying particular attention to workers who are disproportionately at risk due to underlying health conditions or the role they carry out, and only those who cannot do their job from home should be asked to go to the workplace.

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“Building work in people’s homes is not permitted under existing level four guidance unless it is essential for the upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household. As the First Minister announced yesterday, we will now put this guidance into law.

“Should anyone have concerns about their workplace or a workplace they should inform their Local Authority and the Health and Safety Executive. A single point of contact has also been established for trade union representatives to explain how all Covid-19 workplace guidance is being implemented.”