Some construction activities allowed to resume
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald A partially constructed home located on Blue Heron Lane in Moses Lake sits unfinished.
OLYMPIA — Some construction activities will be allowed to restart under conditions of a revised order issued by Gov. Jay Inslee on April 24. Inslee said during a press conference Friday that the procedure followed in the case of the construction industry will be the blueprint for other industries.
Industries and businesses statewide were shut down by the state in late March as part of the effort to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. Private construction projects were considered non-essential businesses and were shut down.
Inslee’s order allows some projects that were already started to resume at least some activities on the site. Crews must be able to maintain social distancing on the site, which means working at least six feet apart most of the time, and must have the proper personal protection equipment, and job sites must have extensive and frequent cleaning. A safety plan is required, and employees must be monitored for COVID-19 symptoms. Companies must keep a log of job site visits.
Mark Riker, executive director of the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, said the reopening order applies to only what are classified as “low risk” activities. Trades council representatives were among the industry groups who helped write the reopening plan.
Each job on a construction site is classified by a risk level, Riker said — low to medium, medium or high risk. Jobs classified as low-risk can start up again. “Any project that can maintain six feet, that project can go on,” Riker said.
Inslee said leaders in the building and construction industry worked to write the plan, a process that took about three weeks. That will be the blueprint for other industries, he said, but he declined to say when other industries will be allowed to reopen.
Allowing hospitals to start some elective surgeries and other services is under consideration, Inslee said, and so is allowing more outdoor activity on state land. Announcements about possible changes for hospitals and outdoor activity should be coming soon, he said, but he did not give any specifics.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].