{"id":897723,"date":"2020-07-21T09:45:35","date_gmt":"2020-07-21T15:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/?p=897723"},"modified":"2020-07-21T09:45:41","modified_gmt":"2020-07-21T15:45:41","slug":"osha-guidance-construction-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/osha-guidance-construction-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"OSHA Issues COVID-19 Guidance for Construction Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Garret Murai | California Construction Law Blog<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past month, after remaining relatively quiet following the coronavirus outbreak, OSHA<\/a> began issuing industry-specific guidance on how to deal with the coronavirus in the workplace<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until this month, the only construction industry specific guidance issued by OSHA was an OSHA Alert entitled\u00a0COVID-19 Guidance for the Construction Workforce, a one page document providing little more guidance than that workers should stay home if sick, wear masks and frequently wash hands to prevent spreading and catching the coronavirus, and to sanitize tools and work areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early this month, OSHA issued more\u00a0comprehensive guidance for the construction industry. The guidance, as noted in the preface by OSHA is simply guidance, \u201cis not a standard or regulation\u201d and \u201ccreates no legal obligations. The guidance supplements\u00a0general guidance applicable to all workplaces\u00a0issued earlier by OSHA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new construction-specific guidance, which while more detailed than its earlier-issued OSHA Alert, continues to provide rather general guidance and encourages construction employers to engage in a three-step process to protect its workers including: (1) assessing the hazards to which workers might be exposed; (2) evaluating the risk fo exposure; and (3) selecting, implementing and ensuring workers use controls to prevent exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new guidance suggests that construction employers analyze potential coronavirus risks along a spectrum from \u201cLower\u201d to \u201cVery High\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Engineering Controls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When working indoors and a person (e.g.<\/em>, coworker, visitor, resident, subcontractor) is suspected of having or known to have COVID-19 (Note: <\/strong>this seems a bit odd to me. If a co-worker or subcontractor is suspected of having or has COVID-19 they shouldn\u2019t be at the worksite at all), the guidance recommends use of \u201cclosed doors and walls, whenever feasible, as physical barriers to separate workers from any individuals expriencing signs and\/or symptoms consistent with COVID-19\u201d including \u201cerecting plastic sheeting Barrera when workers need to occupy specific areas of an indoor work site where they are in close contact (less than 6 feet) with someone suspected of having or known to have COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, the guidance also recommends that construction employers \u201cperiodically reassess engineering controls (as well as work practices and administrative controls\u201d to identify any changes that can be made to decrease<\/em> the need for N95 respirators (or other respirators with a higher level of protection) and other personal protective equipment (PPE) ordinarily used for work activities that involve exposure to hazardous substances\u201d (emphasis added) to \u201chelp conserve PPE that is in short supply or needs to be diverted to activities associated with higher SARS-CoV-2 exposure risks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Administrative Controls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The guidance also recommends that construction employers use administrative controls, when feasible, to reduce or eliminate potential exposure to the coronavirus by implementing and updating its workplace policies to reflect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n