On May 27, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a webpage to provide construction employers and workers with guidance on coronavirus in the workplace.
The actions are recommended in order to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. Construction workers are considered as those who work in carpentry, ironworking, plumbing, electrical, heating/air conditioning/ventilation, utility construction work, and earth-moving activities. The workers should remain alert to changing conditions of the virus, such as testing availability and community spread.
Recent: The OSHA Silica Standard is About to Get More Strict
OSHA recommends that, if conditions change, construction employers should implement coronavirus infection prevention measures accordingly. Employers should assess the hazards to which employers may be exposed, evaluate the risk, and select, implement, and ensure workers are using controls to prevent exposure.
The table below describes risk levels associated with different construction tasks:
| Lower | Medium | High | Very High |
|
-Tasks that allow employees to remain at least 6 feet apart and involve little contact with the public, visitors, or customers. Note: For activities in the lower (caution) risk category, OSHA’s Interim Guidance for Workers and Employers of Workers at Lower Risk of Exposure may be most appropriate. |
-Tasks that require workers to be within 6 feet of one another. -Tasks that require workers to be in close contact (within 6 feet) with customers, visitors, or members of the public. |
-Entering an indoor worksite occupied by people such as other workers, customers, or residents suspected of having or known to have COVID-19, including when an occupant of the site reports signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19. | -As the category is not applicable for most anticipated work tasks, OSHA recommends construction workers see the work tasks associated with lower, medium, and high risks. |
Other top recommendations from the website include:
- Use physical barriers, such as walls, closed doors, or plastic sheeting, to separate workers from individuals experiencing signs or symptoms consistent with the coronavirus
- Keep in-person meetings (including toolbox talks and safety meetings) as short as possible, limit the number of workers in attendance, and use social distancing practices
- Screen calls when scheduling indoor construction work to assess potential exposures and circumstances in the work environment before worker entry
- Request that shared spaces in home environments where construction activities are being performed, or other construction areas in occupied buildings, have good airflow
- Stagger work schedules, such as alternating workdays or extra shifts, to reduce the total number of employees on a job site at any given time and to ensure physical distancing
Visit the webpage for more guidance on engineering controls, administrative controls, screening Q&As, and training. It also features PPE, cloth face coverings, and safe work practices.
***
About Worksite Medical
In most cases, OSHA requires medical surveillance testing, and at no cost to employees.
Worksite Medical makes that program easier with mobile medical testing.
We conduct on-site respirator fit tests (including N95 masks), as well as pulmonary function tests and heavy metal lab work, right on your job site. We also keep accurate, easy-to-access medical records for your convenience. You’ll keep your employees at work, and stay ahead of OSHA inspections.
With Worksite Medical, a mobile medical testing unit — we can bring all the resources of a lab to you. Our certified lab technicians can perform both qualitative and quantitative respirator tests to ensure a perfect fit.
Protect your team and your workplace now with Worksite Medical. Not sure what you need? Try our medical testing wizard here.
Give us a call at 1-844-622-8633, or complete the form below to schedule an on-site visit or to get your free quote!
