Managing Covid on Construction Sites

RCC formed a Covid Response Team in March 2020, made up of a diverse group of people from across the business whose sole job was to support our people and our projects through an extremely challenging time. Like the rest of the industry, we were met with a unique problem that hadn’t been dealt with previously, so it was an opportunity to create new ways of working and collaborating in order to keep the business, our people and projects safe.

Now, 18 months on, our Response Team and the wider business has pivoted from a focus on processes and response plans to managing the safety of our people and Covid cases on site. In 2021 the Delta strain and evolving Government advice has driven our businesses agile approach. Despite the ever-changing Covid landscape, our approach remains centred on the crucial balance between maintaining the safety of our staff and community, whilst ensuring appropriate measures are taken to remobilise the site as quickly as possible in line with NSW, ACT or QLD Health requirements.

Early on we decided that proactively leading an RCC process which was authorised by Health was the best way to manage positive cases and ensure our sites weren’t impacted by the backlog caused by the upward trending numbers in NSW.

 

The Key to Success

RCC's Key to Success

 

With more than 50 live projects and thousands of workers on our sites each day, managing the safety and continuity of our delivery is important. Over the last couple of months RCC’s Covid Response Team have managed over 25 instances of positive cases attending an RCC site.

In line with strict internal protocols and State Health guidelines, our team’s rapid response to contact tracing, notifications, cleaning and testing protocols has ensured safe and efficient remobilisation of site. This consistent outcome is testament to the stringent measures in place and the commitment of our staff who have all assumed the role of Covid Marshal to ensure ongoing compliance.

Our process, supported by NSW Health, has allowed us to safely remobilise sites, generally within 24 hours, which is important for our workforce, industry and economy during difficult times.

RCC’s process involves input from various parties with detailed analysis of the workers movements applied to a risk assessment model developed in conjunction with the various State Health bodies. Key to this system is our Covid Response Team remaining impartial, aligning our approach with government advice when identifying Close and Casual Contacts.

 

 

We appreciate the support of the NSW Health as well as all our trade partners and clients who are collaboratively working with us to ensure an efficient and measured response in every case.

“Much planning goes into any risks our projects face, including for the possibility that one of our workers comes to site COVID positive without knowing. When it occurred on the Walsh Bay project, the RCC site team worked with the COVID Response Team to manage the situation.

Planning paid off as the subcontractors, the client and all involved were kept up to date with what had occurred, how it was being managed and what the next steps were. Cleaners were on site quickly, close and casual contacts traced and testing for the workforce organised. It is a credit to the careful planning and execution of RCC’s COVID Response Plan that construction was underway again the following day.”

 

Rene Burkart – Project Director, Infrastructure NSW

 

RCC Positive Case Process

 

Current Trend

Over the last week or so we are seeing a shift in case numbers and locations, as the vaccination coverage increases, and we pass the 21-day mark after the 1st dose for most employees. This is an encouraging sign as we continue to communicate vaccination as the path out of site shutdowns, loss of work and productivity in the future.

A number of initiatives including webinars with medical professionals discussing the benefits of vaccination on individual and community outcomes, regular communication with staff and major prize draws are making a difference in encouraging RCC employees and our project partners to do their part to increase vaccination rates.

 

What Next?

With the state roadmaps to eased restrictions being rolled out, we are considering long-term strategies which will allow us to continue providing our workforce with a safe working environment, relevant communication and security.

RCC is working with Government bodies on pilot initiatives to identify ways our industry can consistently manage the impact of Covid on construction sites and communities. As construction returns to 100% capacity in NSW, we remain vigilant and prepared to provide our clients and industry partners with confidence that we will remain responsive and flexible to take on what is next, together.

Keep an eye on our socials to learn more about how we will be protecting our people, our industry and our community moving forward.

 

 

Wyong Hospital Redevelopment Prototype

Delivering functional, modern hospitals, which are ready to provide critical care from day 1 is essential. Facilities which meet the current and future needs of the local community, achieve the best long-term outcomes for patients and frontline staff. By partnering with clinical and hospital staff and representatives from the Local Health District and Health Infrastructure we are able to design and build state of the art hospital facilities which support the delivery of vital health care in our community.

On the Wyong Hospital Redevelopment, this approach led to the construction of a several prototype on site, which is offering users the chance to see and test some of the future critical clinical spaces and provide valuable input into the design finalisation process.

Our Senior Site Manager on the project, Dane Lalic, says it’s about much more than a ‘Measure Twice, Cut Once’ approach;

Building a high-quality prototype with the necessary specifications, finishes and equipment allows the end user to live and breathe the design and ensure the completed facility will offer them a fully functional space to provide patients with the best possible care. As a Central Coast local and having delivered a number of hospitals in my career, I understand how important Wyong Hospital is for the community and the positive outcomes which can be achieved through early engagement and collaboration.

It’s important for us to understand the end user of any building; the more we know about their operational rhythms and what is important to them, the better we can deliver a facility which meets their needs. This approach is of course all the more critical when you are delivering social infrastructure projects which provide such important services for the community; it’s a huge source of pride for all of us at RCC to be able to play a role in building state of the art health facilities

 

Dane Lalic – RCC Senior Site Manager

 

Works have progressed significantly since the first sod was turned on site in late 2019. The construction and fit out of the prototype occurred in conjunction with the early stages of the hospital main development to ensure ample time for end users and representatives from the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) and Health Infrastructure NSW to take advantage of the mock facilities. The project team erected a shed on site and delivered the build and integrated fit out to the specifications and finishes required. Providing the most practical and immersive user experience possible is crucial to ensuring that the completed Wyong Hospital campus supports the operational rhythms of hospital staff and patients and facilitates the provision of critical health care services to the growing Central Coast community population. The sample building is now far from its humble beginnings as a shed and, although only a fraction of the size of the future hospital, now contains inpatient and emergency department rooms all delivered to the scale. The RCC project team worked closely with hospital staff and end users, the CCLHD, Health Infrastructure NSW, Colliers Project Leaders, project consultants and subcontractors to carefully plan and deliver the high-quality prototype, complete with equipment, ahead of the user inspections and testing earlier in the year.

Staff will continue to visit the prototype shed, working with the team to select furnishing, fittings and equipment. It will also be used in the future for training and education sessions as staff prepare to move into the new building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hear from the Central Coast Local Health District team about the impact this prototype facility will have on the final hospital and their end user experience.

 

MORE ABOUT THE WYONG HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT

The Wyong Hospital project involves the delivery of a new Clinical Services Building, which will provide the local Central Coast community with a new Emergency Department, additional operating theatres, and ICU/HDU capacity, mental health expansion, additional inpatient beds for medical and acute services, clinical and non-clinical support services and parking.

Due for completion in 2022.

Take a virtual tour through the proposed new facilities, with this short Wyong Hospital Redevelopment fly-through: