Amid a global pandemic, contractors are facing unprecedented circumstances on their jobsites. While some locations are temporarily shuttered, many project teams are still maintaining project deadlines while protecting workers’ health and safety and simultaneously guiding remote staffers. In many states, construction is still considered an essential business, and several jurisdictions are gradually lifting stay-at-home restrictions this month.
In a culmination of industry efforts to address a mix of rules and regulations, construction executives and safety advisors came together during the month of April to hold COVID-19 Safety Stand-Downs—a vital opportunity for employers and workers in construction to ensure their behavior keeps them safe and slows the spread of the virus.
The events provided leaders with the opportunity to talk with chambers of commerce and local business partners about their response plans and to share best practices with other businesses in their communities—especially those connected to their supply chain.
Members of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, including Associated Builders and Contractors, developed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan for Construction (buildingsafely.org) that includes toolbox talks and recommendations for prevention, preparedness and response to the crisis.
In assessing potential hazards, employers should consider whether their workers may encounter someone infected with COVID-19 in the course of their duties, ABC’s Director of Safety Steve Wiltshire recommends. Employers should also determine if workers could be exposed to environments (e.g., worksites) or materials (e.g., laboratory samples, waste) contaminated with the virus. Visitors to jobsites should be limited to only those necessary for the work.
Depending on the work setting, employers may also rely on identification of sick individuals who have signs, symptoms and/or a history of travel to COVID-19-affected areas that indicate potential infection with the virus, in order to help identify exposure risks for workers and implement appropriate control measures.
No matter the circumstances, personal protective equipment (PPE) should be provided to all employees, whether assigned to cleaning/disinfecting tasks or performing essential construction tasks.
