Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is ordering all construction sites in the city to follow strict COVID-19 exposure control plans if they are to remain open.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti issued the new guidelines on Wednesday amid concerns that construction sites increase workers’ exposure to coronavirus. A worker at SoFi Stadium tested positive for the virus over the weekend.
The guidelines are mostly aimed at ensuring workers stay six feet away from each other. Site managers also need to designate a supervisor to ensure that social distancing is maintained in narrow areas, like hallways and elevators. Work also must be staggered to ensure distancing.
Workers are barred from sharing work tools and phones, and any tools or equipment used must be disinfected before and after use, according to the city’s new rules. Managers also need to provide wash stations, hand sanitizers and face masks.
Workers who are sick must stay home and workers need to inform management if someone they live with has COVID-19.
City inspectors will visit work sites to ensure compliance. Garcetti said that “we will not be shy about shutting down construction sites that do not comply.”
Some hard-hit states have shut down construction altogether. Last week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all construction to stop except work on infrastructure, healthcare facilities, and affordable housing.
Washington State also halted all work besides emergency maintenance, affordable housing work, and some infrastructure projects. Boston was the first city to halt construction earlier this month. [LAT] — Dennis Lynch