UK construction companies to join Haiti effort

The UK’s leading building companies are preparing to send construction workers to Haiti to help with the relief effort as the need for temporary shelter and functioning infrastructure grows.

Building firms said they would fly some of their own staff to the disaster-struck country to offer logistical support and advice on the reconstruction process.

“As an industry we are able to offer something very direct to help these countries which have often experienced widespread destruction to infrastructure and housing,” said John Denning, communications director at Carillion.

Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Carillion joined other construction companies in posting skilled workers to the worst-effected parts of the region to help with both the immediate building of shelters and essential infrastructure and to assist in planning the long-term reconstruction process.

The charity Redr, which was founded by an engineer and specialises in providing construction and civil engineering support to disaster-hit areas, sources construction workers from among its corporate sponsors, including Arup, the privately held building and infrastructure firm, to bolster its own teams of aid workers.

As well as on-the-ground support, the charity uses experts in the building industry to provide online advice to aid workers and other reconstruction organisations working to repair damaged infrastructure.

“These companies can really chip in with their expertise and experience with the online service, which is ongoing and will play a big part in reconstruction efforts,” said a spokesperson for the charity.

However, some companies pointed out that it was too early to be sending in building professionals and that the need for that kind of work would become greater over the next few weeks.

“It might be a bit early to start sending people over there to start with the rebuilding as they are still pulling out bodies, but a lot of companies which have the expertise to offer will get involved later on,” said an executive at another leading construction company.

UK housebuilding companies, which donated £177,000 to the 2004 tsunami relief effort, also pitched in with donations in kind, albeit indirectly. The Home Builders Federation called on its members to donate to Habitat for Humanity, a charity specialising in building shelters and reconstruction assistance.

“It only seems appropriate that our industry should support a charity that specialises in shelter provision, housing repair and reconstruction,” said Stewart Baseley, HBF chairman.