Coronavirus FAQ - Engineering Inspection (Statutory Inspection)
May 1, 2020
Insurers are retaining their inspection service focused on essential services only. Following a definition by HSE and talks with members of SAFed, these essential services are defined to be facilities that are crucial for the treatment/research of the Coronavirus and the general infrastructure of the country. This includes:
- Health care settings (hospitals, GP practices and essential NHS hubs) and pharmacies
- Schools used for essential workers child care
- Services and utilities (power, gas, water, sewage, waste)
- Retail, manufacturing, port services and transport serving essential provisions (food, medical supplies, fuel etc.)
- Maintenance and repair serving essential provision, as above
- Social / economically vital sites and services (construction, large employers)
- Essential commerce including Government / local council hubs of activity, banking.
If you are operating in one of these sectors, and have any inspection services due in the next 2 months, please speak to your usual contact at BBI.
This list does not include non-essential retail, pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes and recreation centres – many of which are now closed. It also places some restrictions on housing association and local authority housing stock, non-medical care homes and sheltered accommodation. In view of the government’s wish that people stay at home, insurers believe that they should not be entering these dwellings when restrictions on movement are in place. However please contact us if you are unsure of your responsibilities and the current position.
Insurers will continue to review the situation daily and converse with SAFed and their regulators and will update any changes.
With regards to equipment which is, or will soon be out of date for examination, the HSE is not currently issuing exemptions or relaxing the requirements of the relevant regulations. HSE have said that they realise this is a fluid situation and the position is consistently under review. Insurers will update insureds if they are informed of any change.
