CONSTRUCTION workers returning to Shetland from mainland Scotland for the build of SSE Renewable’s £566 million Viking Wind Farm are to be tested for Covid-19.
The utility firm confirmed that main contractor, RJ McLeod, has ensured PCR tests are provided to workers prior to their return to the island following the festive break.
Under current Scottish Government Covid-19 restrictions, islands are in tier 3 while mainland Scotland is in full lockdown.
A spokesperson for SSE Renewables/Viking Energy Wind Farm said, “We continually assess latest government guidance in Scotland, including Shetland, in respect of the coronavirus pandemic and associated restrictions, to ensure suitably robust and risk-assessed protection measures are in place at all times on the Viking Wind Farm project.
“While there is no requirement under latest Government guidance to undertake testing, our main project contractor RJ McLeod has ensured that PCR tests are provided to workers returning to Shetland from the Scottish mainland within two weeks of the end of the festive period. This means construction workers on the wind farm will have completed a test prior to the planned restart of construction works due at the end of this week.
“We have also taken the opportunity to reduce the number of staff travelling during this post-festive period to the absolute minimum. These measures are deemed appropriate alongside the existing range of risk-assessed measures already in place including those associated with travel to and from the construction site, welfare provision, social distancing procedures, additional hygiene measures, and use of PPE.”
