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LOS ANGELES COVID-19 EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN
By / Jordan Whitehouse
On April 1, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced new guidelines requiring all construction sites in the city to create a COVID-19 exposure control plan, and now SMACNA Southern California (SMACNA-SoCal) and Local 105 are working together to help make sure those plans are in place.
The new guidelines—16 in total—were published by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). They include directives for providing personal protective equipment, staggering trades as necessary to maintain physical distancing requirements, placing wash stations or hand sanitizers in multiple locations, and designating site-specific supervisors to enforce the guidelines.
When Garcetti announced these new rules, he noted how important it was to continue critical infrastructure work in the city, but “never at the risk of anyone’s life.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by SMACNA-SoCal Executive Director Kevin O’Dorisio. “It’s imperative that we are the best at implementing [these guidelines], managing them, and making sure that our clients appreciate the fact that we are very committed to not only doing a good job but to the safety of employees.”
With such strict guidelines, O’Dorisio admits it can be tough to implement all of them, but he and Local 105 President and Business Manager Luther Medina agree that SMACNA-SoCal and Local 105 have been working closely together to make sure both contractors and union members are abiding by the new safety protocols.
The two organizations have, for example, agreed to a temporary memorandum of understanding that would allow contractors to work split shifts without differential pay to union members in order to keep crew sizes down to maximize social distancing requirements.
Both SMACNA-SoCal and Local 105 are also in constant contact with their members through social media, email, and other channels to ensure everyone understands the guidelines and that their purpose is to keep everyone safe, healthy, and employed.
As Garcetti said when he announced the guidelines, “We will not be shy about shutting down construction sites that do not comply. So comply.”
The LADBS has said that its staff will verify compliance during regular scheduled inspections for projects under construction and will follow up on complaints submitted online or over the phone.
Medina says there have been “very few” projects shut down in Local 105’s jurisdiction, and this is because everyone is taking the guidelines seriously. “Currently, in Local 105, we have about 7% unemployment; however, if our elected officials feel that our workforce is not abiding by the new safety guidelines for construction projects, they could easily decide to shut down much of the work, and we could easily see a rise in unemployment to 70% or more.”
One other reason that hasn’t happened is the strong working relationship between SMACNA-SoCal and Local 105.
“We meet bi-monthly with our labor-management cooperation trust, and we have good, consistent communication,” O’Dorisio says. “Our relationship is very positive, and we recognize that we have a shared obligation to our industry. We do our very best to address that consistently at all times.”
Still, as important as the guidelines are for ensuring the safety of all involved, O’Dorisio says some of them are “a bit of an overkill” and could be financially challenging for smaller contractors.
One of the guidelines, for instance, dictates that the contractor has to designate a site-specific COVID-19 supervisor to enforce the rules. That supervisor has to be present on the worksite at all times during construction activities, and while the supervisor can be an on-site worker, there could be an additional cost associated with having someone perform this role.
Garcetti acknowledged the challenges associated with these new guidelines and all of the rules Angelenos have to follow right now. But, he added, “the deeper we abide by these rules, the quicker this can be over. These are not ordinary times. Everyone has to keep making these temporary sacrifices for the common good.”
Difficult to abide by or not, Medina says that the industry appreciates that the governor and city mayors have labeled the construction industry as essential. “All of the guidelines are important when taken as a whole,” he says. “The important thing for our members to take to heart is that if we do not follow all construction safety protocols, the projects could be in jeopardy of shutting down.”
O’Dorisio agrees, saying both SMACNA-SoCal and Local 105 understand that they have a shared responsibility to the industry and the people that make up the industry. “I want our people to come out of this whole and be in a position where we can rebuild and re-establish our marketplace,” he says. “We pride ourselves on being the best trained and the most capable on any particular project, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.” ▪
Jordan Whitehouse is a freelance business journalist from Vancouver, British Columbia, who writes for magazines, newspapers, and online publications throughout Canada and the United States.
1. Practice social distancing by maintaining a minimum six-foot distance from others. A Public Notice of Social Distancing Protocol, in a manner consistent with the Mayor’s Order dated
April 10, shall be posted at work site entrances. 2. Preclude gatherings of any size, and anywhere two or more people must meet, ensure minimum six-foot separation. 3. All workers and visitors on site shall wear face coverings over their noses and mouths while performing their work. Face coverings referenced in this guidance can be fabric coverings, such as scarves and bandana coverings. Reusable face coverings must be frequently washed, minimum once a day, for the health and safety of users and others. Single-use coverings must be properly discarded into trash receptacles. 4. Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate for the activity being performed. 5. The owner/contractor shall designate a site specific COVID-19 supervisor to enforce this guidance. A designated COVID-19 supervisor shall be present on the construction site at all times during construction activities. The COVID-19 supervisor can be an on-site worker who is designated to carry this role. 6. Identify “choke points” and “high-risk areas” where workers are forced to stand together, such as hallways, hoists and elevators, break areas, and buses, and control them so social distancing is maintained. 7. Minimize interactions when picking up or delivering equipment or materials, and ensure minimum six-foot separation. 8. Stagger the trades as necessary to reduce density and maintain minimum six-foot separation social distancing. 9. Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, work tools, and equipment. If necessary, clean and disinfect them before and after use. 10. Post, in areas visible to all workers, required hygienic practices, including not touching face with unwashed hands or with gloves; washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use of 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 CDC. 11. Place wash stations or hand sanitizers in multiple locations to encourage hand hygiene. 12. Require anyone on the project to stay home if they are sick, except to get medical care. 13. Have employees inform their supervisor if they have a sick family member at home with COVID-19. 14. Maintain a daily attendance log of all workers and visitors. 15. Employers must permit their employees to wash their hands at least every 30 minutes. 16. Employers must make sure employees have access to a clean and sanitary restroom, stocked with all necessary cleansing products, like soap and sanitizer.
