WORKSITE RESOURCES

The Government of BC, Building and Safety Standards Branch, a central location for key information to help guide and inform the building construction and operations sectors as an essential service during COVID-19, offers the following resources:

• Construction Site Safety
• Regulated Work Under the Safety Standards Act
• Support and Resources for Construction Industry Groups
• Apartment and Condominium Operations
• BC Building Code Questions
• Building and Safety Standards Branch Updates
  

The Government of BC – Guidance to construction sites operating during COVID-19
Released March 22, 2020

The B.C. government and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, are taking unprecedented measures to slow the transmission of COVID-19. Henry issued an order under the Public Health Act prohibiting the gathering of people in excess of 50 people at a place of which a person is the owner, occupier or operator, or for which they are otherwise responsible. Employers in the construction industry are asking for clarity about what this means for them.

While this order does not apply to construction sites as a whole, the public health officer is directing employers to take all necessary precautions to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission and illness to themselves and their employees. This includes:

• There should be no more than 50 people in the same space in any circumstance.
• Where possible, employees should maintain a distance of two metres apart from each other.
• Post signage that limits the number of occupants in any elevator to four people at a time.
• Reduce in-person meetings and other gatherings and hold site meetings in open spaces or outside.
  Increase the number of handwashing stations and post signage that identifies their location.
• Maintain a list of employees that are currently working on sites and update this list daily.
• All common areas and surfaces should be cleaned at the end of each day. Examples include washrooms, shared offices, common tables, desks, light switches, and door handles.
• Anyone with COVID-19-like symptoms, such as sore throat, fever, sneezing or coughing, must self-isolate at home for 14 days.

For more information on the COVID-19 response, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/COVID19

BC CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ALLIANCE (BCCSA)

COVID-19 AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
This is a guide for employers to use as a toolbox talk or safety meeting when discussing the COVID-19 virus with their workers on a construction site. Additional resources listed below:

Updated Guidance on Covid-19
New: Employer Covid-19 Site Inspection (download)
New: Hazard Assessment and Control (download)
Updated: What if Physical Distancing is not Possible (download) – reposted after temporarily removing
New: Everyone do their part – Poster (download)
Pandemic Handwashing Station on a Construction Site (download)
Resources & Signage
Frequently Asked Questions
Mental Health Resources
NEW: Guidance to Employers: Performing Work in Private Residences (download)
Presumed COVID-19 Case on Site Procedures (download)

BC WORK SAFE

Industry-Specific Guidance for Next Phase of Restart
Health and Safety Responsibilities When Working From Home
Preventing exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for employers
Construction and COVID-19 Safety