Covid-19: Making hard work out of keeping your distance

Tradies are doing their best to obey the strict rules on construction sites, but some worry they’ll bring the virus home to their loved ones.

Labourer Brenten McGee working on site in Merrylands, in Sydney’s west. Picture: Adam Yip

As the tradies say, they’re flat out like a lizard drinking right now. They’ve never been busier.

But while most are doing their best to obey the strict rules on construction sites, some worry they’ll take the virus home to their loved ones.

Brenten McGee is working as a labourer laying electrical piping on a side street off the main shopping strip in Merrylands, which is within one of Sydney’s 12 local government areas deemed an “area of concern”.

The 20-year-old lives with his parents and three siblings aged 18, 15 and 6.

Tradies work on the Parramatta Light Rail on Thursday afternoon. Picture: Adam Yip

“There’s always a worry, but sometimes you just got to pull through and continue working otherwise you’re not going to get anything done,” Mr McGee says. “It’s very difficult with the 1.5m rule, because sometimes you’ve got to go on the truck with one of the boys or you’ve got to dig together on a shovel, or you’ve got to help carry something heavy.”

Mr McGee’s boss, Lee Bourke, disagrees, gesturing to show his workers socially distancing as they load the truck after a long day.

“Look how far apart we are,” he says. “We’re fine. We’re out in the open, nice breeze, we’ve got plenty of room. We’re not worried at all. I’m not worried.”

Construction sites are governed by strict rules: workers must either be vaccinated or have been tested within the past three days.

About 5km away, workers building the Parramatta Light Rail say there is no other option than to break the 1.5m rule.

“We got to be close to each other to work together. I’m a labourer; I’ve got to be behind him at all times, not 1.5m, and let alone the mask is choking us,” says one man who didn’t want to give his name.

Another says paying rent and supporting his family outweighs the risk of catching the virus and taking it home.