Why are construction firms allowed to carry on? - Helen Martin

Some of us are not happy, but resigned, to “stay at home” for longer.

St James Quarter. Picture: Lisa Ferguson/JPIMedia

It’s not very long until my 68th birthday, so having had the first vaccine on Saturday I may feel a bit more up for going out and about after 12 weeks – if I have the second jag.

What rather appals me are others who ignore wearing a mask, keeping social distance and being apparently unaware of the risk they are imposing on everyone else.

It’s disturbing that even at this stage, almost a dozen construction workers at the St James Quarter in Edinburgh have tested positive.

A member admits the workers huddle together chatting with no face masks and very few hand sanitising points. It possibly appears the contractor, Laing O’Rourke, doesn’t have anyone always patrolling the workers to make sure they do as they are told and follow one-way routes.

And similar stuff is happening on other construction sites as Scotland on Sunday’s investigations discovered.

So, let’s be honest. If any construction staff could infect their families, or their children going to their grandparents for day care, or building up a general attitude that masks and distancing are pointless, all especially during the variants with higher transmission, shouldn’t inspectors be there all the time? And if that doesn’t happen, isn’t it reasonable to consider a temporary lockdown which would force construction companies to deal with it?

If pubs, restaurants, shops, hairdressers etc are shut down why are these firms allowed to carelessly carry on?