Bay Area Counties Lift Some Construction Restrictions

National Construction Practice Safety Alert

On Sunday, May 3, 2020, six Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco) lifted some restrictions on construction activities and released separate Project Safety Protocols for small and large construction projects that were not deemed essential earlier. In addition to defining the criteria for small and large construction projects, the project safety protocols require that contractors:

• Prepare a new or updated Site-Specific Health and Safety Plan to address COVID-19 related issues.
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) specifically for use in construction (gloves, goggles, face shields, and face coverings) appropriate for the activity being performed, ensure that employees are trained in the use of PPE, and prohibit sharing of PPE.
• Implement social distancing requirements including requiring the maintenance of a minimum six-foot distance between workers at all times, except as strictly necessary to carry out a task associated with the project, stagger stop and start times for shift schedules to reduce the number of workers at the job site if feasible, and stagger trade-specific work for the same purpose.
• Prohibit gatherings of any size on the jobsite, except for safety meetings or as strictly necessary to carry out a task associated with the project.
• Strictly control “choke points” and “high risk areas” where workers are unable to maintain minimum six-foot social distancing.
• Minimize interactions and maintain social distancing with all site visitors including delivery workers, design professionals and other project consultants, government agency representatives, including building and fire inspectors, and residents at residential construction sites.
• Prohibit workers from using each others’ phones or desks. (Any work tools or equipment that must be used by more than one worker must be cleaned with disinfectants that are effective against COVID-19 before use by a new worker.)
• Place wash stations or hand sanitizers that are effective against COVID-19 at entrances to the job site and in multiple locations dispersed throughout the job site as warranted.
• Maintain a daily attendance log of all workers and visitors that includes contact information, including name address, phone number and email.
• Post a notice in an area visible to all workers and visitors instructing workers and visitors regarding the jobsite COVID-19 safety rules and translate the notice to ensure that all non-English speaking workers are able to understand the notice.
• Implement cleaning and sanitizing practices.
• Implement a COVID-19 community spread reduction plan as part of the Site-Specific Health and Safety Plan.
• Assign a COVID-19 Safety Compliance Officer (SCO), a qualified company employee, to the jobsite to ensure implementation of the Site-Specific Health and Safety Plan.
• Assign a COVID-19 Third-Party Jobsite Safety Accountability Supervisor (JSAS) to the jobsite to verify compliance with the Project Safety Protocols, including visual inspections and random interviews with workers. The JSAS must have an OSHA 30-Hour certificate as well as an up-to-date first aid certification.
• Develop procedures to follow in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 at the jobsite.
• Create separate work areas if construction occurs within an occupied residential or commercial or mixed-use building.

To see the COVID-19 safety protocol requirements for small and large construction projects, go to the health department website for the county where your work will be performed.

• Alameda County: acphd.org
• Contra Costa County: cchealth.org
• Marin County marinhhs.org
• San Mateo County smchealth.org
• Santa Clara County sccgov.org
• San Francisco County sfdph.org

For more of EPIC’s coronavirus coverage, visit epicbrokers.com/coronavirus