It is a stopping sector that is financially constrained to restart timidly. According to information from Europe 1, after five weeks of confinement against the coronavirus, and despite the publication of a specific guide to health recommendations from the Professional Organization for the Prevention of Building and Public Works (OPPBTP), 80% of companies of the building remain stationary in France. Figures from the Confederation of Crafts and Small Building Companies (Capeb) also indicate that 17% of these companies have been able to resume reduced activity.
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"There are always times when we are less than a meter away"
"We leave on construction sites with only one person per vehicle, but as I only have three, some of my employees take their car", testifies at the microphone of Europe 1 Benjamin Martin, a mason from Aisne who is one of the few to have his business in partial activity. If getting to the construction site while respecting sanitary measures is not easy, this is just the beginning. "We have masks, gloves, we try not to lend ourselves tools to avoid contact ... After it is true that there are always times when we are less than a meter away [ each other] to lift heavy loads, "he explains.
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A lack of masks and cash ...
In addition to the problem of proximity, equipment, in particular masks, is also lacking. This is why, like the Aisne, some departments have unlocked it. "The departmental council gave us 100,000 masks, and in a day and a half we received almost 400 requests from companies" explains José Faucheux, the departmental president of Capeb. "Many had 15 days, three weeks, a month maximum cash, and we are more than a month of confinement. So there is a [financial] need to be able to return to work," he adds.
... and additional costs caused by health regulations
But the craftsmen especially ask for another type of help, because with the new health obligations, working costs more. This is why the predicted Capeb, Patrick Liébus, asked by phone Tuesday evening to the Ministers of Finance and Labor, Bruno Le Maire and Muriel Pénicaud, the establishment of specific aid to "cover at least one part of the additional costs resulting from the implementation of health rules ", but also the" tax exemption of overtime ". "This would allow companies to be able to work more hours to relaunch the mechanics in the building," he said at the microphone of Europe 1.
For its part, the government must give an answer on a possible release of aid next week.