Following regular questioning and pressure from the heating industry, government has reportedly confirmed workers ‘delivering essential services in the utilities sector’ are now eligible for coronavirus testing.
This encompasses heating engineers, stressed Stewart Clements, director of HHIC, pictured above.
He said: “The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, HHIC, are pleased that government have recognised that the heating and plumbing industry carry out essential frontline work to maintain the supply of heating and hot water to UK homes, schools, hospitals and businesses. Its operation is essential to ensure people are kept safe in their homes and businesses.
“HHIC have an open line of communication with government, in particular the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, BEIS. The current COVID-19 crisis is an ever changing, and ever moving situation which requires daily review and communication, so that we are in the best position to be able to keep our members informed.
“Following announcements that COVID-19 testing capacity in England has been extended to all key workers and their households with symptoms. BEIS have confirmed that workers delivering essential services in the utilities sector, which encompasses heat, are now eligible for testing. The government’s guidance remains that tradespeople entering homes should only be undertaking essential repairs and maintenance. No work should be carried out by a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild. Those with symptoms that need to return to work to undertake essential activity in the heat sector must get tested before doing so.”
It added that the government recommendations were changing daily.
More information, and the option to self-refer for a test, is available online at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.