With an eye toward reopening the New York economy safely, the Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA), along with the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and the Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC), released mandatory protocols for remobilizing the construction industry in the city. Called RebuildRenew New York, the protocols involve health and safety measures that the consortium of industry leaders, unions, and government officials have positioned to “protect New Yorkers as they rebuild our city and help jumpstart the economy,” per the announcement.
In addition to the requirements and guidelines issued by the governor for all areas in the state where construction is permitted to resume, or where it has already been taking place as essential work, the new construction safety standards from RebuildRenew New York include:
Requiring personal protective equipment (PPE) masks at all times
Social distancing measures such as staggered workers’ hours and lunch breaks, and reducing the number of workers on elevators and hoists at one time
Mandatory temperature checks before entering a job site
The Reopening New York state guidelines for construction employers and employees also include both mandatory and recommended measures for physical distancing; protective equipment; hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection; communication;, and screening for all active job sites.
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