Construction companies address worksite concerns over COVID-19
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Many people are voicing their concerns about seeing workers at construction sites and raising the question as to whether construction is really essential.
Don Chapin, CEO of Don Chapin Company, is seeing his share of slow business following the Shelter in Place order that began in March but says not all the work can stop.
He addressed the need for certain projects to continue and as for the residents who say they’re worried construction sites violate social distancing and safety guidelines and should not be considered essential, he explains…
“It’s an unfair statement because not all construction is equal. Especially if it comes to doing anything with infrastructure. Infrastructure, we’re already so far behind and everything needs to be taken care of. If I was remodeling the bathroom at my house, I would tell you that’s probably not something I would need to do.”
Construction is a year round service and Chapin says now is a critical time to enforce sanitation and cleanliness for than ever.
The Monterey County Shelter in Place order mentions that projects associated with health care, shelters and other public works sections can continue operating but only those that commenced before the order was issued, so long as they follow health safety guidelines to protect both workers and the public.
Chapin says he and his employees practice safety guidelines such as washing and sanitizing hands and equipment and also using personal protective gear to avoid possible cross contamination on site.
“That’s probably the bigger issue. What happens to all those people, thousands of people who work in this industry in Monterey County? We’re putting one operator on one machine so we don’t move people back and forth, we’re assigning tools so that one person is using the tools, not sharing tools,” says Chapin.
When asked if he was worried for his business during these times, he said his only concern was the safety of his workers and the public.
He has not begun any new projects and says he is anticipating that business will go back to normal soon.
