CITY OF CALABASAS Executive Order No. 2020-6
Construction Site COVID-19 Exposure Control Plans - (PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE DOCUMENT)
Please read these guidelines and limitations on the activities of persons and entities performing or involved in building construction and related businesses including all home repair business activity.
1. Intent. During this time period when everyone has been encouraged to stay at home, but given that construction activity has been deemed by the State to be an essential business, the intent of these guidelines and limitations are to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to the maximum extent possible by establishing required protocols for construction sites, construction workers, and occupied home’s undergoing repair or remodel activity. These guidelines are based on Interim CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), OSHA’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, the Infectious Disease Jobsite Safety Protocols established by the California Building Industry Association, and other publications.
2. Licensed Contractor. All construction activity shall be performed by a licensed contractor. Exception: In the event a homeowner can provide convincing evidence that they, or their employees, are performing the work, a contractor is not required.
3. Construction Site COVID-19 Exposure Control Plans.
SIMPLY SIGN AND SUBMIT THIS DOCUMENT FOR COMPLIANCE.
A contractor may submit their own plan that may be more restrictive, but at a minimum, it must contain the following provisions:
a. Include the name of the COVID Onsite Supervisor (see Section 11 below). The contractor shall designate one of their employees as a site specific COVID-19 Supervisor to enforce this guidance. In this regard, the designated COVID-19 Supervisor must be physically present at the construction site, AT ALL TIMES, during construction activities.
b. The Licensed Contractor should implement a comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control plan, which includes control measures such as social distancing; symptom checking; hygiene; decontamination procedures, and training. All exposure control plans and the following practices must be followed to prevent any onsite worker from spreading or contracting COVID-19, as many people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic and can potentially spread the disease.
c. Social distancing by maintaining a minimum 6-foot distance from others is required.
d. Gatherings of any size, and anytime two or more people must meet, a 6-foot separation will be maintained.
e. All employees should be provided and should wear, at all times, personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face masks, and face shields as appropriate for the activity being performed.
*When minimum 6-foot separation cannot be reasonably achieved due to the physical conditions, the COVID-19 Supervisor must take extra precautions to ensure workers are protected – that activity shall be documented – all employees identified on the document – and the extra precautions implemented to protect those employees shall be clearly described. Failure to comply with this provision would result in a Stop Work Notice.
f. For larger projects, you may be requested to include “staging” details that identify (i) construction vehicle parking locations, (ii) loading and unloading areas, (iii) employee path of travel to the construction site, (iv) clear safe distances to adjacent occupancies, (v) or any other criteria requested by a city building inspector that is intended to provide safety for adjacent occupancies, construction personal, or occupants of the premises of the construction location. Please note, should these details not be included on the plan, and if a city building inspector deems that their observations reveal construction activity is congested and a staging plan is warranted, a Stop Work Notice may be issued.
g. Designate frequency, means, and methods of cleaning sanitary facilities.
h. Discontinue the use of community water, coffee, or food. Refrain from sharing cups, pens, pencils, plan-sets, tablets, laptops, tools, or any other items that may carry germs.
i. Minimize interactions when picking up or delivering equipment or materials, ensure minimum 6-foot separation is maintained.
j. Stagger the trades as necessary to reduce density and maintain minimum 6-foot separation on social distancing.
k. Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, work tools and equipment. If shared use is necessary, clean and disinfect them before and after each use.
l. 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.
m. Place wash stations or hand sanitizers in multiple locations to encourage hand hygiene.
n. Require anyone on the project to stay home if they are sick, except to get medical care.
o. Require anyone on the project to stay home if they have a sick family member at home with COVID-19.
p. Maintain a daily attendance log of all workers and visitors.
q. Make disinfectants available to workers throughout the worksite and ensure supplies are frequently replenished.
r. Require workers to wipe down tools, equipment and, if reasonable, worksite surfaces they contact with disinfectant, including mandatory cleaning of tools and equipment at end of work shift.
s. Require workers to wash clothing and other reflective gear regularly.
4. COVID-19 Exposure. Employees and subcontractors shall be required to leave the jobsite if they are displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Further, employees and subcontractors must not enter the jobsite if they have knowingly come into contact with anyone who has exhibited symptoms of the virus or have tested positive for the virus in the previous 2 weeks. COVID-19 symptoms include: fever; cough; shortness of breath; body aches; sore throat.
5. COVID-19 Supervisor. The contractor must act in the capacity of a site specific COVID-19 Supervisor, or must designate an employee as a site specific COVID-19 Supervisor, to enforce this guidance. The COVID-19 Supervisor must be present on the construction site at all times during construction activities. The COVID-19 Supervisor is encouraged to frequently conduct site walks to ensure workers are complying with guidelines and, if any workers are exhibiting symptoms of illness, to instruct the worker to leave immediately. Supervisor or designee must also provide a copy of these written guidelines to any subcontractor working on site.
6. Subcontractor Compliance. Provide subcontractors a copy of these guidelines. Limit the amount of paperwork or materials exchanged between contractor and subcontractor to the extent reasonably possible. Subcontractors must agree not to enter the worksite if they have knowingly come into contact with anyone who has exhibited symptoms of the virus or have tested positive for the virus in the previous 2 weeks.
7. Jobsite Cleaning Supplies. Attempt to make sure hand soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels and disinfectant spray are available for all workers and maintain stock of such supplies at all times during working hours.
8. Continuing assessment. Federal, State, and Local Agencies will continue to assess the quickly evolving situation regarding the spread of COVID-19. These guidelines may be refined or superseded by additional executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
9. Copies of Guidelines. Copies of these guidelines shall promptly – and prominently - be displayed at the worksite and also made available to workers if requested.
10. Enforcement. Violation of any provision of the City of Calabasas’ Executive Orders, including Executive Order No. 6, which requires all construction sites to develop and implement a written comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control plan, constitutes a public nuisance.
The City of Calabasas may elect, in enforcing its Emergency Executive Orders and these Guidelines, to use any lawful code enforcement remedy and may choose to undertake any of the legal actions described in the Calabasas Municipal Code.
More specific provisions regarding administrative or other enforcement authority and procedures for particular violations may exist in the Calabasas Municipal Code and shall, to the fullest extent permissible, be construed to complement rather than contradict these guidelines.
All remedies for the handling of violations or enforcement of the provisions of an Emergency Executive Order shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any other applicable provisions of city, county, state, or federal law.
Should a person be found guilty and convicted of a misdemeanor or infraction for the violation of any provision of an Emergency Executive Order, the conviction shall not prevent the city from pursuing any other available remedy.
