As the easing of lockdown measures continues across Scotland, the CICV Forum has launched a new social media campaign urging construction workers to stay safe in their social lives.
Using two engaging animations and free downloadable posters, the collective is calling on sector staff to protect colleagues by following physical distancing guidelines in their private lives as well as in the workplace.
Designed to be shared on social media, the campaign coincides with the reopening of bars and restaurants in Scotland, and makes it clear that any good work achieved through on-site best practice could be undone if habits are relaxed in pubs or other social gatherings.
Rebecca Crosland, Health and Safety Advisor at Forum member the Building Engineering Services Association, said: “It is important to hammer home the message that this dangerous bug has not gone away and that we all need to remain vigilant at home as well at work to prevent a resurgence.
“Once again, we are presenting the key points in a simple and entertaining format, which is eye-catching as well as informative. Operatives have responded magnificently to guidance in the workplace and we are sure they will respond positively to this further reminder.”
The first short film features a construction worker called Campbell and the message: “Campbell is COVID-19 smart. Campbell keeps to the physical distancing rules. Campbell doesn’t break those rules in his spare time. Be like Campbell. Be COVID-19 smart.”
A second animation features another construction worker called Fiona, who also observes physical distancing in her spare time to help protect her colleagues when she returns to work. The message is repeated on open source posters, designed to be printed out and displayed in workplaces.
Iain Mason, Director of Membership and Communications at SELECT and Chair of the Forum’s Communications Sub-Group, said: “We have made huge strides in getting core safety messaging accepted and applied on site, in depots and in construction offices.
“Now we need to reiterate that, and urge our workforces not to relax their guard in their time away from work. I’m sure that everyone will understand that it would be dispiriting to throw away the gains we have made by not abiding by the distancing rules at all times.”
Iain added: “This latest campaign continues the Forum’s key message that we are all #InThis Together and the importance of workers taking personal responsibility to protect themselves, their colleagues and the wider community.”
The latest campaign follows a recent animation in which the Forum outlined the key health and safety steps that all staff should take during the return to work.
It also reinforces the Forum’s reputation for proactive innovation, which has seen it at the forefront of clear and concise information distribution throughout the Covid-19 crisis.
Although the message about the safety measures during the Covid 19 crisis is a very important one, I think it could have been done without playing on/endorsing/legitimising the gender stereotypes that so many of us in the construction industry are trying to dispel. Why is it that Campbell is the one “on the tools” and Fiona is the curvy, skirt wearing one who takes notes? I have no doubt about the intent of this, but the impact of the underlying message re gender and roles is damaging.
Thank you for getting in touch with the CICV Forum Emma. We appreciate the feedback and rest assured we’re keen to ensure diversity and avoid the usual ‘pigeon-holing’ stereotypes. By way of explanation, given the broad range of bodies represented on the Forum, for this particular campaign we also wanted to represent the more ‘white collar’ side of the construction industry, eg surveyors, architectural engineers etc, without mentioning a specific role. This is who Fiona was meant to represent. We have previously used women in ‘hard hat’ roles in our Working Together video, and indeed, in our next social media restart campaign, currently being developed, we will feature such a figure as one of the two industry representatives.