Jobsite Precautions
March 3, 2020
BIAW has been working diligently to keep home builders and contractors informed about Gov. Inslee’s Stay-at-Home order. Currently, construction is listed as non-essential in the order, but there are exemptions that allow for some workers to continue necessary projects. For those still working on homes, you need to alter your behavior and follow guidance to do your part to flatten the curve and spread of COVID-19.
Over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it had designated construction of single-family and multifamily housing as an “Essential Infrastructure Business,” meaning that construction could continue in places under stay-at-home orders. Although this designation is not binding to state and local governments, it does mean that there could be more workers on job sites in the coming weeks.
The health and safety of home builders and contractors is our top priority. BIAW developed a COVID-19 Jobsite Safety Kit specifically tailored to members and their jobsites. The COVID-19 Jobsite Safety Kit is customizable and covers areas that include manager and worker responsibilities, job site protective measures, cleaning and disinfecting, responding to exposures incidents, and OSHA record-keeping requirements. There are also several shorter component documents that can be separately downloaded, including:
- Spanish translated documents
- Containment Best Practices
- 10-point plan for trades
- Jobsite safety posters
Because of the hyper-local nature of this crisis, BIAW urges members to stay informed by checking our COVID-19 Resource page. For more information on the COVID-19 Jobsite Safety Kit, contact Communication and Public Relations Director Jennifer Spall at (360) 352-7800 ext. 152 or jennifers@biaw.com.