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New OSHA Measures to Expect When Returning to the Worksite

If you were temporarily or permanently laid off as a result of COVID-19 construction site shutdowns, returning to work will most likely look very different than before. OSHA has recently released a series of industry-specific guidelines to help workers prioritize their health and safety throughout the remainder of the pandemic. Based off OSHA’s guidance, Governor Cuomo also announced a similar list of New York-specific guidelines that can be found here. Your worksite is likely already implementing OSHA’s measures, but check out the full list of guidelines to help reduce your risk of exposure to COVID-19:

  • Stay home if you feel sick and/or have fever.
  • Wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth.
  • Use respiratory etiquette by covering coughs and sneezes.
  • Make sure you properly understand how to put on, use/wear, and take off all protective clothing and equipment.
  • Continue to use all normal control measures, including personal protective equipment, needed to protect yourself from other job hazards.
  • Where possible, avoid physical contact with others and increase personal space to at least six feet. If trailers are on site, all workers should maintain social distancing when inside.
  • Maintain personal hygiene practices by frequently washing your hands and/or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • When cleaning, use disinfectants from the EPA’s List N for effective use against COVID-19.
  • To the extent that tools or equipment need to be shared, use alcohol-based wipes to clean before and after use. When cleaning tools, consult manufacturer recommendations for proper techniques and restrictions.
  • Keep in-person meetings, such as toolbox talks and safety meetings, as short as possible and maintain social distancing practices.
  • Report any safety and health concerns you may have.

Ready to find your next construction job? You can get access to Building Skills NY construction job and training opportunities by checking out our Job Seekers page. As of March 2020, our in-person interview events have been moved to Zoom video-conferencing in response to COVID-19.