THE NEXT STEPS IN MINIMIZING COVID-19 RISK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
To help inform and protect our workforce
Today, Hayward Score released additional safety recommendations that should be adopted on construction jobsites: increasing indoor ventilation and managing dust. “COVID-19 is an opportunity for the building industry to demonstrate discipline and leadership and keep workers safe,” explained Bill Hayward, founder and CEO of Hayward Score and CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of Hayward Lumber, a 100-year-old California lumber and building material supplier.
According to Hayward, “Overall, most jobsites are doing well at implementing the basics: social distancing, handwashing, sanitizing, and wearing recommended face masks and safety glasses. But, it is critical that we also increase indoor air ventilation and manage dust as part of jobsite safety protocol.”
Hayward Score has taken publicly-available scientific research and expert recommendations, with its own lessons learned from more than five years of minimizing risk in indoor residential spaces, to create recommendations for jobsites with the goal of keeping workers, and ultimately their families, safer.
Research has demonstrated that the virus can be spread through aerosol transmission. In addition, the virus can attach to larger particulates, such as those that may comprise construction dust. This makes it important to take two key steps: increase ventilation to >5 air changes per hour (ACH), which is considered excellent, and improve dust removal methods.
Ventilation can be achieved easily and cost-effectively by, at minimum, cracking a window in each room and adding box fans to selected window openings, to ensure sufficient airflow in every room. On average, two 20”x20” box fans (one for supply air and one for exhaust air) running on the high setting for 25,000 cubic feet of interior space at the jobsite.
To minimize dust, regularly vacuum with a high-grade, HEPA-filtered jobsite vacuum or vent a standard jobsite vacuum outside away from open windows and fans. Brooms and standard vacuums should not be used because they may recirculate particulates rather than remove them.
Hayward Score has developed a three-minute video outlining these and other recommended steps for construction jobsite safety in the COVID-19 era. To view, download, or share the video, visit https://www.haywardscore.com/covid-19-resources/ or https://youtu.be/fvuq7-mCbc8.
5 Key COVID-19 Safety Recommendation for Construction Jobsites
Individual Actions
- Practice physical distancing
- Wash and sanitize hands frequently
- Wear a properly-fitting mask and eye protection or safety glasses
Jobsite Best-Practices
- Increase ventilation to >5 ACH
- Minimize dust by using HEPA vacuums or vacuums exhausted to the outdoors
Construction has long been an economic linchpin and it is one of the few industries that has continued to thrive despite disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic. “If we can stay safe as an industry, we can keep the American economy going. This is a pivotal moment for businesses to set themselves apart by adopting these safety recommendations and for our industry as a whole to shine.” Hayward concluded.
