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Boston Implements New COVID-19 Safety Procedures for Construction Sites
5/13/20
By: Catherine Bednar
On May 5, 2020, the City of Boston activated new COVID-19 safety procedures for active construction sites, which are currently limited to projects meeting the City’s definition of emergency or essential work. The City also targeted dates for expanding the categories of permitted construction activity in the City to more closely match the State’s definition of essential construction services; currently, the City has imposed significantly greater restrictions on construction activity.[1]
The City’s Order sets forth the following timetable:
• May 5, 2020 – Essential construction projects with approved COVID-19 Safety Affidavits and COVID-19 Safety Plans will be authorized to prepare the site with project-specific COVID-19 safety measures.
• May 18, 2020 – The City will allow essential construction work on sites that meet the following criteria: (1) Projects are permitted, in compliance and have filed a COVID-19 Safety plan and a signed affidavit; (2) Project sites are sufficiently prepared to adhere to all criteria of their safety plan; and (3) the work is for hospitals, public schools, residential buildings [1-3 units], road and utility work, or other outdoor/open air-work such as steel erection, roofing and constructing foundations.
• May 26, 2020 – All essential construction projects may re-commence construction activities in adherence to their safety plans.
The City has adopted this incremental approach in order to provide additional time “necessary to allow complex, large-scale development an opportunity to educate their workforce, safely remobilize and implement their site-specific Safety Plan.” All Projects must comply with the City’s COVID-19 Safety Policy for Construction, issued on April 27, 2020, which requires the implementation of best practices, including pre-shift safety measures (e.g. employees travel to work separately), job site hygiene practices (e.g. hand sanitization stations), social distancing techniques (e.g. holding safety meetings outdoors); and appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
[2] https://www.boston.gov/news/temporary-guidance-construction-city-boston
Additional Information:
The FMG Coronavirus Task Team will be conducting a series of webinars on Coronavirus issues on a regular basis. Topics include liability considerations for jails and prisons, tort claims in a post COVID-19 world, real estate issues amid the pandemic and more. Click here to view upcoming webinars.
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You can also contact your FMG relationship partner or email the team with any questions at coronavirustaskforce@fmglaw.com.
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