What should investors ensure during construction activities during the Covid pandemic in Vietnam?

What should investors ensure during construction activities during the Covid pandemic in Vietnam? - image from internet

Based on Subsection 2.1, Section IV of the Temporary guidelines for ensuring safe, flexible, and effective COVID-19 prevention measures in construction projects and transportation infrastructure (accompanying Decision 1811/QD-BGTVT in 2021), the following provisions are stipulated:

The responsible agencies and units are required to develop and issue a "COVID-19 Prevention and Control Plan at the construction site" and take responsibility for implementing preventive measures at the construction site, ensuring compliance with the general principles in Chapter IV and specific requirements as follows:

2.1. For the investor

a) The investor should establish a "COVID-19 Prevention and Control Task Force at the construction site" with members including the representative of the investor, the representative of the supervising consulting firm, the site commander, and the medical personnel of the construction contractor. This task force is responsible for:

- Inspecting and approving the "COVID-19 Prevention and Control Plan at the construction site" prepared by the construction contractor, organizing its implementation according to the Temporary Guidelines, and monitoring and checking its implementation. It should also handle situations when the local pandemic level changes and/or when cases of workers suspected or confirmed with COVID-19 are detected at the construction site.

- Timely acquiring information on the pandemic level and the disease situation in the project area, as well as regulations and guidelines provided by the Government, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health, and relevant authorities. This information should be promptly disseminated to the construction contractors, workers, and organizations involved in order to guide their implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

- Directing the construction contractor, supervising consulting firm, and related units to promptly and fully comply with the requirements of local authorities regarding COVID-19 prevention and control. The task force should also develop and issue regulations and guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and control at the construction site to ensure consistency in the implementation among the construction contractors.

Regularly monitoring the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures at the construction site, conducting periodic and surprise inspections and evaluations of the implementation of the "Plan," and requiring the construction contractors to have plans to address any existing shortcomings. Violations should be handled according to regulations.

b) The investor act as a liaison to support the construction contractors and workers in ensuring smooth construction, labor, and production activities:

- Establishing communication channels with the Provincial Disease Control Center/Preventive Medicine Center or through the hotlines provided by the Department of Health or the Ministry of Health to receive guidance and support in implementing COVID-19 prevention and control measures at the construction site and handling situations when there are confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 at the construction site.

- Establishing communication channels with the relevant transportation management authorities at the local level to receive guidance and support for the construction contractors in transportation activities to ensure the smooth supply of materials, supplies, equipment, goods, and experiments to the construction site. This is especially important in the case of a high-level outbreak in the locality.

- Acting as a coordinator with the relevant authorities in promptly addressing and responding to the requirements of COVID-19 prevention and control.

c) The investor proactively collaborate with the construction contractors to plan for vaccination of staff and workers, and report to the local authorities to prioritize vaccination for workers and provide them with early and prompt access to healthcare services from the grassroots level.

Best regards!