During the ‘Circuit Breaker’, all renovation and construction work was put on hold.
While this caused inconvenience to homeowners whose renovations were put in limbo, it was a necessary step to contain the spread of Covid-19.
On 2 Jun, suspended home renovation works were able to resume after the ‘Circuit Breaker’, but new renovation works for homes still had to wait.
Now, in a sign that the construction industry will be getting back to normal soon, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will accept applications for all renovation projects from 15 Jun.
In a media release posted on its website on Saturday (13 Jun), the BCA said that it will begin accepting applications for:
However, homeowners who intend to start new renovation works should ask their contractors about the availability of their manpower and supplies.
That’s because renovation works that aim to resume are dependent on the manpower and supplies available to their companies, the BCA said.
All renovation works must follow safe distancing measures, as well as guidelines on safe worker accommodation and transport issued by the relevant government agencies.
According to the BCA, more than 19,000 home renovations that were suspended have already been granted permission to resume.
It took just 2 days for applications that were submitted in order to be processed.
As for construction projects, more than 300 of them have been allowed to resume.
Another 250 projects will be resumed once their construction firms can meet the BCA’s Covid-Safe Restart requirements so their workers will be safe.
Who should submit applications to the BCA on 15 June?
That would be companies who employ construction work permit and S Pass holders, especially since the majority of cases in Singapore arose in construction workers.
Moreover, if companies had previously applied to resume suspended home renovations and had them approved, but they have construction work permit and S Pass holders who were not recorded in that previous applications, they should also submit applications.
Applications can be submitted to the BCA here.
How will companies know that they are ready to resume work, though?
The BCA has launched a convenient self-check tool so companies can find out whether they are ready or not.
It help a company check if the project can meet 3 requirements:
When the assessment is done, companies that are ready will also get an email with a link so they can apply for permission to restart work.
Companies can assess the self-check tool here.
If help is needed with the self-check tool companies can email BCA at bca_construction_restart@bca.gov.sg.
If when a company is approved to resume work, its workers might have to wait a while, though.
Workers who live in private residential properties and HDB premises can start work immediately when the BCA approval is obtained.
However, workers living in dormitories can only work after their dorms are cleared.
Even after they restart work, all construction workers who are work-permit holders or S Pass holders must be regularly tested for Covid-19.
The construction industry is slowly getting back to normal, which must be a relief for homeowners who are yet to get their places renovated.
While it has taken a while, this caution is necessary as workers in the industry have been hardest hit by infections, and nobody wants a resurgence of the virus among construction sites, as that means they’ll be closed down again.
Let’s hope our workers can resume work safely without the spectre of Covid-19.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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