As mentioned in a prior update, Governor Wolf is now permitting residential and commercial construction to resume operations on May 1, 2020. The administration has issued guidelines so that the industry can safely resume operations.
 
The guidance, developed from input by the General Contractors Association of Pennsylvania, provides universal protocols for all construction activity, as well as specific additional guidance for residential, commercial, and public construction projects.
 
Businesses must identify a “pandemic safety officer” for each project or work site, or, for large scale construction projects, for each contractor at the site.
 
Commercial construction firms should also strongly consider establishing a written safety plan for each work location containing site specific details for the implementation of this guidance to be shared with all employees and implemented and enforced by the pandemic safety officer.
 
All businesses and employees in the construction industry must adhere to the Secretary of Health’s order providing for business safety measures, which requires every person present at a work site wear masks/face coverings unless they are unable due to medical or safety reasons. It also requires that businesses establish protocols upon discovery that the business has been exposed to a person who is a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19.
 
For non-residential or commercial projects, the number of individuals permitted on enclosed portions of a project varies depending on the size of the enclosed site. Residential construction projects may not permit more than four individuals on the job site at any time, not including individuals who require temporary access to the site and are not directly engaged in the construction activity.
 
Local governments may elect to impose more stringent requirements than those contained in the guidance.
 
Additional information can be found in the press release.