When the first Covid lockdown was imposed on 16th March 2020 Williams Tarr had just commenced a major £5m+ pharmaceutical project that was classified as “essential”. Almost overnight we had to create Covid-19 Risk Assessments and Method Statements for sites and our Head Office to ensure that everyone was safeguarded and fully compliant. This challenge gave us early experience of managing Covid-secure sites, which allowed us to complete the essential project safely and on time.

It was a tall order. An unprecedented situation demanding intense attention to detail and co-operation from all our operatives, supply chain businesses and client’s teams. Williams Tarr were in the vanguard of construction companies who had to tackle the situation “head on”.

We set up our own track and trace system and produced a wide range of unique procedures and notices to combat Covid risks. Practical measures like additional w.c.’s and canteens to ensure social distancing were introduced, along with extra PPE and sanitising stations. We now also have lateral flow testing available for our work force.

Our efforts were successful and since then we have been awarded further pharmaceutical projects that are driven by the demand for pandemic countermeasures.

These days, whilst the risks of Covid infection are reducing, we are still maintaining a vigilant stance to ensure Covid-secure operations in line with current Government guidelines. Our experience of working safely through the first stringent lockdown period has stood us in good stead for the future.

Williams Tarr Contracts Director Trevor Hughes who heads up our Health & Safety commented:

We have always been extremely safety conscious on our sites and are constantly striving to make sure that the challenges imposed by Covid are being managed safely without compromise to project timelines.