Trade bodies launch guides to
working in homes
12th May 2020

Any domestic installer trying to wade through the plethora of government advice on safe and legal working can now turn to two trade bodies which this week published their own guides to working in customer’s homes.

The guides, from Corgi Fenestration and the Certass Trade Association, come amid various government advice documents which left many still far from clear of working procedures, especially retrofitting in occupied private houses.

Corgi Fenestration published its Covid-19 Operating Code for domestic installers alongside a corresponding Consumer Guide for homeowners, both free to download from its site.

Certass Trade Association has launched the Covid Secure Procedures Pack, endorsed by the Trade Association Forum which is supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Certass TA says its pack includes a method statement for working safely in the home, with specific advice for surveyors and installers, remote selling and showroom guidance, self-assessment declaration forms for both installation teams and homeowners to complete before work commences and final inspection guidance.

It also includes a quick reference guide for installers and an information leaflet to give to homeowners. A complete homeowner guide for members to use in their marketing will follow next week.

Corgi Fenestration says The Covid-19 Operating Code covers everything from the quotation and sales process (no face-to-face interaction) to safe surveying and installation, to job sign off.

Its Consumer Guide tells the homeowner what they can expect from an installer following the Code and what their responsibilities are too (ranging from advising the installation company if they or any of the household have Covid-19 symptoms to wiping down frames and work areas).

Jon Vanstone, Chair of Certass Trade Association, said : “We are going to be living and working with this virus in the UK for at least the next 12 months. Through my participation in Government steering groups, it was clear that the delivery of advice for installers needed to be driven by industry. As the only glazing representative in these discussions, responsibility fell to Certass Trade Association.

“The pack is designed to help installers maintain social distancing, keep contact with homeowners to a minimum and prove that they have taken necessary steps to reduce risk for all parties.”

Corgi Fenestrations Chief Operating Officer Jacqui Crawford said: “Hopefully these will allow operatives to work in homes on non-essential installations using common sense measures to social distance wherever possible and use practical hygiene procedures to minimise risks of cross contamination. They can also be used by operatives that are currently undertaking essential work in homes – which we believe only includes emergency repairs of windows and doors.”

“As this crisis and resultant restrictions look as if they will be with us for some time our industry needs to face up to the new realities and operate accordingly.”

The guides are available from:
www.corgifenestration.co.uk
www.certass.co.uk

The government’s own advice, including all aspects of the working environment was updated yesterday (May 11): read here and the GGF last week sought to clarify previous advice read here.