✖ Construction Reporter

Show Password Forgot Password?

Not a Member? Start a free-trial today!
Construction Reporter
  • Home
  • Services
    • Planroom
    • Printing
    • Project Upload
    • Architects & Owners
    • General Contractors
    • Subcontractors
  • Free Trial
  • Become a Member
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • About
    • About
    • FAQs
    • Privacy Policy

federal job safety official urges construction site covid-19 precautions

4/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Acknowledging that work will continue on a variety of construction projects nationally during the COVID-19 outbreak, John Howard is pushing for enhanced workplace safety precautions.

Howard, the director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is particularly stressing the importance of physical distancing.

“We should separate workers as much as we can,” Howard remarked during a webinar sponsored by his agency and the National Safety Council.

“And when we can’t, we make sure they’re well-protected,” Howard continued.

Admitting that construction sites are “probably one of our more challenging workplaces,” Howard urged a series of best practices that he wants to see all construction companies embrace.

Those practices include encouraging sick workers to stay at home, requiring foremen to ask workers to self-identify possible COVID-19 symptoms, and screening all visitors to a construction worksite.

Howard also encouraged the practice of supervisors talking to workers about safety matters, otherwise known as “toolbox talks,” but making certain they are done with a physical distance of 6 feet between participants.

Workers should also be discouraged from sharing water bottles, while also disinfecting all such shared equipment as tools and vehicles before and after use.

Companies may also want to consider staggering work shifts in a move to reduce the number of workers at a site at any given time.

On the issue of personal protective equipment, Howard was blunt: “Eye protection is a must. For workers who have to work in close quarters, they should use appropriate personal protective equipment and augment ventilation in those areas.”

Ultimately, Howard echoed the recommendations of other health care experts studying the spread of COVID-19 who have emphasized the need for constantly cleaning and disinfecting.

“Cleaning is getting the dirt out,” he remarked. “Sanitizing is what’s used in public health a lot to get down to a certain level of bacteria—sometimes 95 percent is killed.”
​
Added Howard: “Disinfection is killing everything. That’s where you want to aim.”

​By Garry Boulard

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Get stories like these right to your inbox.
    ​Sign up for our newsletter

    Subscribe

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017

    Categories

    All

AFFILIATES

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
HOME
PLANS & PRICING
FREE TRIAL
MAGAZINE​
BECOME A MEMBER
PRINTING SERVICES
FAQS
CONTACT
​ABOUT

TIMELY, RELIABLE NEWS SINCE 1949 ​Construction Reporter
​
4901 Mcleod Rd NE STE 200A
Albuquerque NM 87109


​Phone: (505)-243-9793
Toll Free: (877)-292-5793
​Fax: (505)-242-4758

Copyright © 2022 Construction Reporter
User Agreement   Privacy Policy   Archive Policy
  • Home
  • Services
    • Planroom
    • Printing
    • Project Upload
    • Architects & Owners
    • General Contractors
    • Subcontractors
  • Free Trial
  • Become a Member
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • About
    • About
    • FAQs
    • Privacy Policy