In addition to our construction industry resource document, we've created a list of best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on construction sites. Click here to download.
Hygiene:
· Clean your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds – before you eat, at the end of the work day, during the work shift whenever possible, and when you get home from work.
· Practice physical distancing of two meters (six feet).
· Do not shake hands; avoid physical contact.
· Do not share food, drinks, cigarettes, and personal hands tools.
· Do not touch your face, eyes, nose, and/or mouth with unwashed hands (i.e., when smoking, drinking water, eating, etc.).
· Follow good respiratory etiquette by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or the crease of your elbow when you sneeze or cough.
· Regularly clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces and tools.
Project Orientations:
· Limit the number of persons in the orientation with a chair spacing between workers. This may require hosting the video orientation sessions more often. Where practical, move orientation outdoors and conduct a verbal orientation – reinforce physical distancing.
· Use the Shared Health Manitoba Screening Tool questions to verify that workers are not feeling sick and so they are aware of what the symptoms are so they can self-monitor.
· Disinfect used pens, tables, chairs, and table after each orientation.
· As part of the verbal orientation, discuss:
- Social distancing of two meters
- Hygiene and location of hand washing and hand sanitization stations.
- What the company is doing at the site to promote a safe workplace & remind them their health is important to us.
- Where the safety posters are located.
- The importance of reporting to their supervisor if they are feeling unwell and leaving the project.
Health Verification of Visitors Prior Site Access:
· Question all site visitors on the current status of their health – use Shared Health Manitoba Screening Tool to verify health of workers.
· At the start of shifts, the supervisor is to confirm the health status of contractor workers through discussion with the contractor supervisor and notify HSE manager of any issues. Document issues.
· The supervisor, each day, is to ask for updates of workers who have left the site for self-isolation. Document changes.
· At the end of shifts, the supervisor to confirm the health status of contractor workers through discussion with the contractor supervisor and notify HSE manager of any issues.
Receive and Review Contractor COVID-19 Plan:
· How is their plan being applied to their subcontractors?
Hoist/Elevator Operations:
· Outside the hoist, post signage and remind the workers to maintain physical distancing of two metres (6ft) while they are waiting to enter
the hoist/elevator.
· Inside the hoist/elevator, maintain social distancing (as best as possible) and reduce the number of passengers at any one time.
· Passengers are to face the outside of to avoid being inside each other’s breathing zone.
· The operator has the option to wear an N95 mask.
· Provide the operator with disinfectant to routinely disinfect commonly touched items — call buttons, door handles, etc.
Project Radios:
· Disinfect radios at start of shift and regularly throughout the shift.
Stairwells:
· Avoid passing each other on the stairs. Wait on the landing until person has exited stairs.
When Wearing Gloves:
· Do not touch your face, eyes, or mouth.
· Make sure that hands are washed thoroughly or disinfected with hand sanitizer as soon as possible after gloves are removed.
Meetings at Site:
· Limit the number of meetings and the number of participants; ensure physical distancing protocol.
· If possible, hold meetings in open areas or outside.
Project Offices/Trailers:
· Restrict access and place contact information (phone number) outside on door.
· Limit the number of workers or restrict who is allowed to enter these offices.
· Maintain physical distancing requirements.
· Do not touch items — “keep your hands to yourself”.
· Do not share keyboard or mouse, pens, clipboards, or documents.
· Disinfect commonly touched items like door handles, chairs, tables, etc.
· Handrails leading up to the trailer or office: do not slide your hand down them and routinely disinfect.
Lunchroom:
· Post signage to remind workers to wash or disinfect their hands before and after eating.
· Stagger coffee/lunch breaks to reduce the number of workers in the lunchroom at the same time.
· Maintain physical distancing by staggering the seating arrangement, or don’t eat in the lunchroom.
· Remove garbage often.
· Routinely disinfect the tables and other commonly handled items.
· Ensure sufficient fresh air supply to reduce “recirculating” the air inside the lunchroom. Set-up neg air if required.
· Separate PPE and clothing that is hung up in the lunchroom to avoid touching.
· If you have to take your spare work clothing home, place it in a plastic bag and do not take it out of the plastic bag until it goes into the laundry to be washed — ideally separately.
Work Locations:
· Maintain physical distancing between workers.
· Stagger work crews to reduce the number of people on site, if possible
· Where possible, reduce the number of partner workers. Don’t mix workers on crews.
Tools:
· Avoid sharing tools or equipment.
· If you have to share equipment, clean and disinfect points of contact on the equipment. Example: on a shared extended work platform, before use wipe down controls, gate, guardrails, and any other parts touched by hands. Disinfect it when you are done.
First Aid Treatment:
· First aid attendants are to wear N95 mask or ½ mask respirator, face shield, and medical gloves when treating workers.
· If conscious and capable of answering, ask the worker the Shared Health Manitoba Screening Tool questions to verify the current status of their health.