COVID-19 Response (Part 1): What You Need to Know to Protect Your Crews

Amidst the growing uncertainties surrounding the global pandemic, it’s critical that we do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19—while at the same time attempt to maintain “business as usual” —with safeguards in place to better protect the safety and well-being of employees, trade partners, clients and the general public.

The following recommended best practices, recently published by The Builder’s Association, are based on what is presently known about the coronavirus disease. As this issue progresses or recedes, the organization strongly recommends contractors stay current and immediately implement the most up-to-date best practices going forward.

Personal responsibilities

• It is critical that individuals not report to work while experiencing illness symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, chills or fatigue.
• Individuals should seek medical attention if they develop these symptoms.

 Social distancing

• Do not host large group meetings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends to avoid gatherings of 10+ people; and when meeting, keep a six-foot distance between people. Perform meetings online or via conference call whenever possible.
• To limit the number of people on a jobsite, allow non-essential personnel to work from home when possible.
• Discourage hand-shaking and other contact greetings.

General jobsite/office practices

Communicate the following key CDC recommendations (and post signage where appropriate) to staff and tradespeople:

1. How to Protect Yourself
2. If You are Sick
3. COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
4. Place posters that encourage staying home when sick, cough and sneeze etiquette, and hand hygiene, at the entrance to your workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen.

Supervisors should ask the following questions to all employees prior to entering the jobsite. If they answer “yes” to any, they should be asked to leave the jobsite immediately. Anyone asked to leave should not return to work until 24 hours after they are free from a fever or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication.

1. Have you, or anyone in your family, been in contact with a person in the process of being tested for COVID-19?
2. Have you, or anyone in your family traveled outside of the United States within the last two weeks?
3. Have you been medically directed to self-quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID-19?
4. Are you having trouble breathing or have you had flu-like symptoms within the past 48 hours, including: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, chills or fatigue?

Routine environmental cleaning of jobsite

• Routine cleaning shall be performed of all frequently touched surfaces on the jobsite. This includes, however is not limited to, workstations, countertops, handles, doorknobs, gang boxes, shared tools and equipment.
• The use of appropriate cleaning agents and directions shall be utilized to perform all cleaning. Ensure all exposed workers are trained on the hazards of the cleaning chemicals used in the workplace in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard. Employers must comply with OSHA’s standards on bloodborne pathogens, including proper disposal of regulated waste and PPE.
• Portable bathrooms will be serviced at a minimum of three times a week when responsible for the portable bathrooms. On jobsites where trade partners provide their own portable bathrooms, trades must also endeavor to have them serviced at a minimum of three times a week.
• Hand sanitizer shall be provided in/or around all portable bathrooms.
• Project trailers/offices need to be cleaned daily.
• All common break areas, lunch and break rooms will be cleaned multiple times throughout the workday.
• Do not congregate in lunch areas.
• No communal food shall be permitted on the jobsite until further notice, e.g., donuts, pizza, buffets, etc.
• All jobsite employees are required to clean their hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol, or wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.
• Soap and water and alcohol-based hand rubs shall be provided in the workplace. Ensure adequate supplies are maintained. Place hand rubs in multiple locations or in conference rooms to encourage hand hygiene.
• Do not share tools.
• Do not share personal protection equipment.
• Sanitize reusable PPE per manufacturer’s recommendation prior to each use.
• Ensure used PPE is disposed of properly.
• Utilize disposable gloves where appropriate; instruct workers to wash hands after removing gloves.
• Disinfect reusable supplies and equipment.
• Identify specific locations and practices for daily trash such as: paper, hand towels, food containers, etc.
• Instruct workers responsible for trash removal in proper PPE/hand-washing practices.
• Do not use a common water cooler. Provide individual water bottles or instruct workers to bring their own.
• Utilize shoe sanitation tubs (non-bleach sanitizer solution) prior to entering/leaving jobsite.
• Instruct workers to change work clothes prior to arriving home; and to wash clothes in hot water with laundry sanitizer.
• Don’t stack trades if possible.
• Utilize disposable hand towels and no-touch trash receptacles.
• Avoid cleaning techniques, such as using pressurized air or water sprays that may result in the generation of bioaerosols.
• Clean surfaces of service/fleet vehicles, steering wheel, gear shift, instrument panels, etc.; use aerosol sanitizers inside closed cabs.
• In regard to shuttling employees, ensure distancing and encourage workers to provide their own transportation where possible.

Managing sick employees

• Actively encourage sick employees to stay home. Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not return to work until they are free of fever (100.4 F [38.0 C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants).
• Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if sick.
• Separate sick employees. CDC recommends that employees who appear to have acute respiratory illness symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) upon arrival to work or become sick during the day should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately.
• Communicate your company’s human resources practices for managing sick time related to COVID-19.

Vendor resources

• Amphibious Medics: Can provide thermal imagery type camera to detect high temperatures as employees enter jobsites; anyone showing a high temp can be asked to complete a CDC form. Contact Terence Curran for details: 877-878-9185 ext. 2001.
• ARC Document Solutions: Commonly used posters and signs from CDC are available for production. Find your local ARC print center to get any health and wellness signs you may need.

Editor’s Note: Next month, join Construction Superintendent as we share COVID-19 Response (Part 2): How Companies are Dealing with Current Climate. In the meantime, be sure to visit consupt.com for the latest updates.