April 27, 2020

Construction restarts for some; strict safety required

Photo by Benjamin Minnick [enlarge]

Pacific Pile & Marine has been working on the Pier 62 rebuild during the COVID-19 outbreak.

To the relief of many in the construction industry, Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday reopened “low-risk” projects where social distancing can be maintained at all times.

The decision was rooted in recommendations from a construction industry advisory group with members from the Associated General Contractors of Washington, Building Industry Association of Washington, Association of Washington Business and three labor groups: Washington Building Trades and the Operating Engineers' and Carpenters' unions.

BIAW Executive Vice President Greg Lane said his group's members, which are primarily homebuilders, are eager to get back to work but safety is the highest priority. He said the state has a housing shortage of about 200,000 units.

Washington Building Trades Executive Secretary Mark Riker said Inslee's move will get thousands of workers back on the job.

“The governor has given us the opportunity to have a great effect in our industry, he's put it back in our hands, it's our job to do it right,” he said.

Both Lane and Riker are on the advisory roundtable.

In an email to AGC members, AGC of Washington Executive Vice President David D'Hondt wrote that the rules for reopening jobsites were slightly revised from initial recommendations from the advisory group. Some of the new requirements include temperature checks of workers, posting notices and additional reporting.

D'Hondt, who also is on the roundtable, wrote that there are a couple of important issues to keep in mind:

“There are many construction projects currently underway that have been deemed essential; these are mostly local government projects. Ongoing essential projects must meet all Phase 1 (low-risk) requirements. For higher risk tasks on ongoing essential projects where 6-foot distancing recommendations cannot be maintained, a hazard assessment and control plan must be implemented identifying appropriate PPE use meeting Department of Labor and Industries requirements.”

L&I will enforce rules for Phase 1 projects and can shut down a jobsite if it determines safety requirements are not being met.

“And as we have already seen, members of the public may also be watching closely and reporting any practices they believe to be contrary to the governor's proclamation,” D'Hondt wrote.

The roundtable is developing recommendations for second- and third-phase projects. Phase 2 projects are those where social distancing can't be maintained. D'Hondt wrote that a key element to this phase involves determining what types of masks are best for close contact on jobsites.

The roundtable is working with L&I on final recommendations for masks and expects to present its plan for opening Phase 2 projects this week to Inslee.

If and when Inslee greenlights Phase 2 projects, the roundtable will further develop its plan for complex Phase 3 projects such as skyscrapers and other structures that are highly technical.

Inslee on Friday said the construction reopening plan could be a model for other industries and he will likely convene stakeholder groups from those industries. He said getting businesses to reopen will be incremental, likening the operation to gradually turning a dial versus quickly throwing a switch. He said opening them now would be “way too dangerous.”