Barratt London, part of Barratt Homes, one of the county’s leading housebuilders, has been certified by the British Safety Council for the quality of its COVID-19 policies.

Following the business going into lockdown, Barratt developed a detailed set of working practices and protocols to enable both its construction sites and customer facing sales offices and showhomes to operate safely. It is these working practises that the British Safety Council has rigorously assessed and found to be in accordance with all UK government and sector guidelines.

The review of its COVID-19 policies covered three main operational areas; construction, customer care centres, and sales offices/show homes. The British Safety Council concluded that Barratt invested significant resources to ensuring its operations during lockdown were safe and that these policies are being continually monitored for their effectiveness. It also found that Barratt has well planned controls and that its communication and training of risks is excellent.

The construction measures put in place by Barratt include new site signage, new site welfare facilities, improved site access and walkways, plus enhanced risk assessments. A nominated Social Distancing Marshal is also now present on all Barratt sites to ensure compliance, together with additional training and support for both employees and sub-contractors.

Equally, there are a range of safety measures and new working procedures for customers too. These include protective Perspex screens, retractable barriers, strict social distancing and, where necessary, personal protective equipment (PPE), plus intercom systems and door locks to enable customers to engage with sales teams before entering offices.