The unwelcome emergence of COVID-19 has caused disruption and damage to all 50 states. One of the worst affected was that of California, where a “shelter in place” order was enforced earlier than the majority of the country. The laidback “Cali vibes” were disrupted as no time was wasted to ensure the transmission of coronavirus was stopped in its tracks.
So as the US scrambles to its feet, the questions remain as to what kind of projects can restart and what changes can we expect. Can construction resume in California? Let us paint a clearer picture.
On May 4, six San Francisco Bay Area counties – Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara plus the city of Berkeley – allowed all construction projects to resume operations.
For many – like San Francisco contractor Malcolm DeBus – this decision came just in time. He had to shut down 70% of his job sites and was on the brink of letting nine of his workers go until permission was granted to recommence work.
The task of getting things moving again after the shutdowns of COVID-19 has involved a thorough plan to ensure everyone’s safety, featuring a number of important safety regulations as part of the construction guidelines. A successful and safe resumption of the work can only be ensured if the supply chain is in place, with the suppliers of building and repair materials and equipment also following protocols to protect against coronavirus.
For the purpose of designing the safety protocols, construction sites have been divided into small sites and large sites, according to a range of criteria. The rules that have been given to protect against COVID-19 are essentially similar for both, all involve PPE, distancing, and sanitizing. For full details, you can find all the specific information here.
For many the “west coast, best coast” saying was under threat from an unforeseen enemy. However, the resumption of construction in California gives a hopeful message for the whole of North America. Perhaps lessons can be learned as other states enter into the similarly uncharted waters.
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