This document is intended to provide practical guidance on safety measures to minimise exposure to COVID-19 for anyone using MEWPs, MCWPs or Construction hoists for work activities.

The guidance covers social distancing and safety/hygiene requirements which aim to reduce the risk of infection to all personnel involved. The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. These heavy droplets quickly fall on floors or surfaces. You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within one metre of a person who has COVID-19, or by touching a  contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands. It is not certain how long the virus survives on surfaces, but preliminary information on the COVID-19 virus indicate it may persist on differing surfaces from a few hours up to several days. All organisations need to prepare a risk assessment of COVID-19 to ensure machines can be used and work undertaken while maintaining social distancing as advised within Government guidance. The risk assessment should be based on the hierarchy of control method to eliminate or reduce risk.

Ref: GU-1035-0520-1-en