Construction Industry Safety Coalition Issues Updated COVID-19 Resource Guide for Contractors

Five months after the initial nationwide shutdowns and we’re still, unfortunately, in the middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic.  What we know about the virus differs greatly since day 1 and continues to evolve over time, so it’s important to continually recalibrate your efforts to keep your employees and your jobsite safe and healthy.

The Construction Industry Safety Alliance (CISC), has recently updated their COVID-19 Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan for Construction. The purpose of the resource guide is “to outline the steps that every employer and employee can take to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19,” the guide states. The 22 page guide covers a variety of topics, including:

• Responsibilities of Managers and Supervisors

• Responsibilities of Employees

• Job Site Protective Measures

• Job Site Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Job Site Exposure Situations

• OSHA Recordkeeping

• Confidentiality/Privacy

• Letter Templates

• Checklists

• Toolbox Talks

If your company is struggling to come up with a solid plan to handle these difficult exposure situations, this guide is an excellent place to start. It’s also a great resource to check against your own policies to see if anything needs updated.

As mentioned above, the CISC recently updated the guide based on new information learned about the virus.  The updates are highlighted in red in the guide itself and cover topics like:

• COVID-19 Symptoms

• Jobsite Visitor screening questions

• Face Covering Guidance

• Jobsite Exposure Situations

• When to record a COVID-19 case on the OSHA 300 log

• COVD-10 Checklist for both employers and employees

You can find more information about the CISC’s COVID-19 Exposure Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan for Construction and other useful resources about COVID-19 at their website: http://www.buildingsafely.org/covid-19-coronavirus/

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