The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a webpage with coronavirus-related guidance for construction employers and workers. The guidance includes recommended actions to reduce the risk of exposure.
Employers of workers engaged in construction activities like drilling and earthmoving should remain alert to changing outbreak conditions, OSHA says in a release, including as they relate to community spread of the virus and testing availability. Employers should implement infection prevention measures accordingly.
The webpage includes information regarding:
- Using physical barriers, such as walls, closed doors, or plastic sheeting, to separate workers from individuals experiencing signs or symptoms consistent with the coronavirus.
- Keeping in-person meetings (including toolbox talks and safety meetings) as short as possible, limiting the number of workers in attendance, and using social distancing practices.
- Staggering work schedules, such as alternating workdays or extra shifts, to reduce the total number of employees on a jobsite at any given time and to ensure physical distancing.
Visit OSHA’s coronavirus website for updates. For further information about the coronavirus, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
