After shutting down all but essential construction in Pa., Gov. Tom Wolf has announced that residential construction may resume on May 1. But the new safety protocol goes beyond social distancing. Now, workers must stagger their shifts, wear face masks, and have hand-washing stations on site. Workers are not allowed to travel together to the site, either. And Gov. Wolf says that no more than four workers can be on a construction site that is less than 2,000 square feet. Though many may be itching to get back to work, the extra measures to keep workers safe will be a new adjustment in the ever-changing world in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Construction will resume May 1 in Pennsylvania, one of the few states in the country that shut down all but critical work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s guidance for restarting construction activity, developed with input from the General Contractors Association of Pennsylvania, includes many safety protocols that were unheard of on jobsites in the state before the pandemic.
Contractors returning to work will need new tools in their arsenal of safety precautions, including face masks for all employees, handwashing stations and staggered shifts.