King County Phase 2 Construction

June 12, 2020
Phase 2 Construction COVID-19 Job Site Requirements 

Phase 2: All construction, including new work, is now allowed. All construction, including those activities for which social distancing may not be maintained and the start of new construction projects, is authorized to resume. Adherence to the health and safety points below will be strictly enforced. 

Prior to commencing work all contractors are required to develop for each job site a comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control, mitigation, and recovery plan. The plan must include policies regarding the following control measures: PPE utilization; on-site social distancing; hygiene; sanitation; symptom monitoring; incident reporting; site decontamination procedures; COVID-19 safety training; exposure response procedures; and a post-exposure incident project wide recovery plan. The plan must also include a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), including a list of engineering controls and proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), for all jobsite activities defined by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) as medium and high transmission risk. 

A copy of the COVID-19 exposure control, mitigation, and recovery plan must be available on each job site during any construction activities and available for inspection by state and local authorities. Workers must be trained on the safety protocols listed below before the activity begins. 

All contractors have a general obligation to keep a safe and healthy worksite in accordance with state and federal law and must comply with the following COVID-19 worksite-specific safety practices, as outlined in Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Proclamation 20-25, and in accordance with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries General Requirements and Prevention Ideas for Workplaces and the Washington State Department of Health Workplace and Employer Resources & Recommendations at https://www.doh.wa.gov/Coronavirus/workplace. Failure to follow these requirements will be considered a violation of these duties and be penalized accordingly. Under RCW 49.17.060, “each employer shall furnish to each of their employees a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause serious injury or death to his or her employees and shall comply with the rules, regulations, and orders promulgated under this chapter.” 

All contractors must specifically ensure operations follow the main L&I COVID-19 requirements to protect workers, including:
• Educate workers in the language they understand best about coronavirus and how to prevent transmission and the employer’s COVID-19 policies. 
• Maintain minimum six-foot separation between all employees (and customers) in all interactions at all times. When strict physical distancing is not feasible for a specific task, other prevention measures are required, such as use of barriers, minimize staff or customers in narrow or enclosed areas, stagger breaks, and work shift starts. 
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face shields and face masks as appropriate or required to employees for the activity being performed. Cloth facial coverings must be worn by every employee not working alone (with no chance of human interaction) on the jobsite unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under Department of Labor & Industries safety and health rules and guidance. Refer to Coronavirus Facial Covering and Mask Requirements for additional details. A cloth facial covering is described in the Department of Health guidance, https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/ClothFacemasks.pdf. 
• Ensure frequent and adequate hand washing with adequate maintenance of supplies. Use disposable gloves where safe and applicable to prevent transmission on tools or other items that are shared. 
• Establish a housekeeping schedule that includes frequent cleaning and sanitizing with a particular emphasis on commonly touched surfaces. 
• Screen employees for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 at start of shift. Make sure sick employees stay home or immediately go home if they feel or appear sick. Cordon off any areas where an employee with probable or confirmed COVID-19 illness worked, touched surfaces, etc. until the area and equipment is cleaned and sanitized. Follow the cleaning guidelines set by the CDC to deep clean and sanitize. 

A worker may refuse to perform unsafe work, including hazards created by COVID-19. And, it is unlawful for their employer to take adverse action against a worker who has engaged in safety-protected activities under the law if their work refusal meets certain requirements. 

Employees who choose to remove themselves from a worksite because they do not believe it is safe to work due to the risk of COVID-19 exposure may have access to certain leave or unemployment benefits. Employers must provide high-risk individuals covered by Proclamation 20-46 with their choice of access to available employergranted accrued leave or unemployment benefits if an alternative work arrangement is not feasible. Other employees may have access to expanded family and medical leave included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, access to use unemployment benefits, or access to other paid time off depending on the circumstances. Additional information is available at https://www.lni.wa.gov/agency/outreach/paid-sick-leaveand-coronavirus-covid-19-common-questions. 

COVID-19 Site Supervisor 
1. 
A site-specific COVID-19 Supervisor shall be designated by the contractor at every job site to monitor the health of employees and enforce the COVID-19 job site safety plan. A designated COVID-19 Supervisor must be present at all times during construction activities, except on singlefamily residential job sites with 6 or fewer people on the site. The name and contact information for the site specific COVID-19 Supervisor must be clearly displayed on all jobsite COVID-19 required postings. 

COVID-19 Safety Training 
2. A Safety Stand-Down/toolbox talk/tailgate training must be conducted on all job sites on the first day of returning to work, and weekly thereafter, to explain the protective measures in place for all workers. Social distancing must be maintained at all gatherings. 
3. Attendance will be communicated verbally and the trainer will sign in each attendee. 

Social Distancing 
4. Social distancing of at least 6 feet of separation must be maintained by every person on the worksite at all possible times. In instances where the 6 feet separation cannot be maintained, the Job Hazard Analysis shall be thoroughly reviewed by all workers performing the work prior to commencing those tasks. 
5. Gatherings of any size must be precluded by taking breaks and lunch in shifts. Any time two or more persons must meet, ensure minimum 6 feet of separation. 
6. Identify “choke points” and “high-risk areas” on job sites where workers typically congregate and control them so social distancing is always maintained. 
7. Minimize interactions when picking up or delivering equipment or materials, ensure minimum 6- foot separation. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Employer Provided 
8. Appropriate eye protection for all hazards must be worn at all times by every employee while on the worksite. 
9. If appropriate PPE cannot be provided, the work is not authorized to commence, recommence, or the site must be shut down. 

Sanitation and Cleanliness 
10. Hand-washing stations, with soap and running water, shall be abundantly provided on all job sites for frequent handwashing. When running water is not available, portable washing stations, with soap, are required. 
11. Workers should be encouraged to leave their workstations to wash their hands regularly, before and after going to the bathroom, before and after eating and after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose. 
12. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with greater than 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol can also be used, but are not a replacement for the water requirement. 
13. Post, in areas visible to all workers, required hygienic practices, including not to touch face with unwashed hands or with gloves; washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces such as workstations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, machines, shared tools, elevator control buttons, and doorknobs; covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing as well as other hygienic recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 
14. Make disinfectants available to workers throughout the worksite and ensure cleaning supplies are frequently replenished. 
15. Frequently clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces on job sites and in offices, such as shared tools, machines, vehicles and other equipment, handrails, doorknobs, and portable toilets. If these areas cannot be cleaned and disinfected frequently, the jobsite shall be shut down until such measures can be achieved and maintained. 
16. Shared tools and other equipment must be wipe sanitized between users. 
17. When the worksite is an occupied home, workers should sanitize work areas upon arrival, throughout the workday and immediately before they leave, and occupants should keep a personal distance of at least 10 feet. 
18. If an employee reports feeling sick and goes home, the area where that person worked should be immediately disinfected. 

Employee Health/Symptoms 
19. Create policies which encourage workers to stay home or leave the worksite when feeling sick or when they have been in close contact with a confirmed positive case. If they develop symptoms of acute respiratory illness, they must seek medical attention and inform their employer. 
20. Have employees inform their supervisors if they have sick family member at home with COVID-19. If an employee has a family member sick with COVID-19, that employee must follow the isolation/quarantine requirements as established by the State Department of Health. 
21. Screen all workers at the beginning of their day by asking them if they have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, or new loss of taste or smell. 
22. Ask employees to take their temperature at home prior to arriving at work or take their temperature when they arrive. Thermometers used shall be ‘no touch’ or ‘no contact’ to the greatest extent possible. If a ‘no touch’ or ‘no contact’ thermometer is not available, the thermometer must be properly sanitized between each use. Any worker with a temperature of 100.4°F or higher is considered to have a fever and must be sent home. 
23. Instruct workers to report to their supervisor if they develop symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, or new loss of taste or smell). If symptoms develop during a shift, the worker should be immediately sent home. If symptoms develop while the worker is not working, the worker should not return to work until they have been evaluated by a healthcare provider. 
24. Failure of employees to comply will result in employees being sent home during the emergency actions. For example, if an employee refuses to wear the appropriate facial covering they would be sent home. 
25. Any worker performing construction craft work in Washington from any state that is not contiguous to Washington must self-quarantine for 14 days to become eligible to work on a job site in Washington. 
26. If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19 infection, employers should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The employer should instruct fellow employees about how to proceed based on the CDC Public Health Recommendations for Community-Related Exposure. 

No jobsite may operate until the contractor can meet and maintain all requirements, including providing materials, schedules and equipment required to comply. 

These COVID-19 job site safety practices are required as long as the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Gubernatorial Proclamation 20-25 is in effect or if adopted as rules by a federal, state or local regulatory agency. All issues regarding worker safety and health are subject to enforcement action under L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). 
• Employers can request COVID-19 prevention advice and help from L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). 
• Employee Workplace safety and health complaints may be submitted to the L&I DOSH Safety Call Center: (1-800-423-7233) or via e-mail to adag235@lni.wa.gov. • General questions about how to comply with the agreement practices can be submitted to the state’s Business Response Center at https://coronavirus.wa.gov/how-you-can-help/covid-19-business-andworker-inquiries. • All other violations related to Proclamation 20-25 can be submitted at https://bit.ly/covid-compliance.
Categories: Safety