A government minister has encouraged the public to let utilities tradespeople into their homes if they need urgent health and safety work during the coronavirus lockdown.
Nadhim Zahawi, junior minister at the department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS), responded last week to a written Parliamentary question submitted by Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron relating to widespread uncertainty about whether workers conducting urgent tasks such as gas boiler repairs should be admitted.
The former Lib Dem leader asked if a comprehensive list exists of what is deemed essential domestic utility work.
He also asked whether instructions are available on whether utilities should engage in non-essential work and if there are plans to ensure that employers obey those instructions and support their workers accordingly.
Zahawi replied that, based on current medical advice, staff can continue to work when they cannot do so from home, show no symptoms of Covid-19, and live in a household where no person is self-isolating.
“We encourage households to engage with tradespeople on this basis, so urgent health and safety issues within homes can be inspected or remedied. Where such work takes place, Public Health England’s social distancing guidelines should be followed.”