Nton BOH Covid-19 Construction Site Requirements 3-31COMMOMWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
CITY OF NORTHAMPTON
BOARD OF HEALTH
COVID-19 MANDATORY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION SITES AND
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN NORTHAMPTON
Commencing on March 30, 2020, at 12:01 a.m., the following Policies and Procedures MUST be implemented at
all times on all construction sites in the City of Northampton.
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY STAND DOWN
1. All construction sites MUST conduct a Safety Stand Down to disseminate these Policies and Procedures
to all employees and workers. All employees and workers MUST keep a copy of these Policies and
Procedures with them at all times.
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SICK WORKERS REPORTING TO WORK
1. Any employee exhibiting any of the symptoms below, must report such symptoms to a supervisor (via
phone, text or email) immediately, and head home from the job site or stay home if already there.
2. Anyone who notices a co-worker showing signs or complaining about such symptoms, shall report such
observations to their supervisor (via phone, text or email) and such symptomatic worker shall be directed
to leave the project site immediately.
3. COVID-19 Typical Symptoms:
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of Breath
• Sore Throat
4. Prior to starting a shift, each employee will self-certify to their supervisor that they:
• Have no signs of a fever or a measured temperature greater than 100.3 degrees,
• Had no cough or trouble breathing within the past 24 hours,
• Have not had "close contact" with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19.
"Close contact" means living in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-
19, caring for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, being within 6 feet of a person who
has tested positive for COVID-19 for about 15 minutes (this includes riding in a vehicle with), or
coming in direct contact with secretions (e.g., sharing utensils, being coughed on) from a person who
has tested positive for COVID-19, while that person was symptomatic,
• Have not been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by their doctor or a local public health official.
Employees exhibiting symptoms or unable to self-certify must be directed to leave the work site and seek
medical attention and applicable testing by their health care provider. They are not to return to the work
site until cleared by a medical professional.
GENERAL ON-THE-JOB PROCEDURES TO PREVENT EXPOSURE
AND LIMIT THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS
1. No handshaking or other touching.
2. Each jobsite must have laminated COVID-19 safety Policies and Procedures and hand washing
instructions.
3. All persons on site must wash hands upon entering the worksite and at least four times per shift with soap
and water for at least 20 seconds, or shall use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% ethanol or
70% isopropanol.
4. Contractor and other On-Site Field Offices shall be locked down to all but authorized personnel.
5. Each jobsite shall develop cleaning and decontamination procedures that are posted and shared. These
Procedures must cover all areas including trailers, gates, equipment, vehicles, etc. and shall be posted at
all entry points to the sites, and throughout the project site.
6. A "No Congregation" policy is in effect; individuals must implement social distancing by maintaining a
minimum distance of 6-feet from other individuals.
7. No face to face meetings other than in an emergency. Any face to face must follow all social distancing
required by these Policies and Procedures.
8. Conduct all meetings via conference calls, if possible. Do not convene meetings of more than 10 people.
Recommend use of cell phones, texting, web meeting sites and conference calls for project discussion.
9. All crews and each member of a crew shall be a minimum of 6' apart at all times. In situations in which
workers are within 6’ of each other for any period of time, all such workers shall be provided and shall
where Personal Protection Equipment (face shield, gown, gloves and mask).
10. All construction sites must have a 100% glove requirement, requiring all construction workers to wear
cut-resistant gloves or the equivalent.
11. All construction workers shall use eye protection (safety goggles/face shields) at all times on the jobsite.
12. All employees shall drive to work site/parking area in a single occupant vehicle. Contractors, staff or
inspectors shall not ride together in the same vehicle.
13. Where no existing indoor bathroom facilities are available at all times during the construction project, the
jobsite shall have adequate porta-potties and hand washing stations (in the opinion of the Health
Director). All bathrooms/porta-potties and wash stations shall be cleaned and disinfected with
appropriate COVID-19 procedures every hour during the work day. No fire hydrants shall be used to
provide any wash station unless specifically permitted by the Director of Public Works.
14. All wash stations shall be provided with soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels and a garbage receptacle with
liner.
15. All common areas, all meeting areas, including surfaces, door handles, laptops, etc. shall be cleaned and
disinfected at least twice daily.
16. All workers shall have their own water bottle and shall bring food from home. No food or beverage may
be shared.
17. Cover coughing or sneezing with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash hands, if no tissue is
available then cough into your elbow.
18. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands.
19. To avoid sharing germs, all employees must clean up after themselves. No person shall be responsible for
moving, unpacking and packing up tools or other personal belongings of another person.
HAZARD ANALYSIS AND COMPLIANCE PLAN AND
DESIGNATION OF COVID-19 OFFICER
1. Prior to the issuance of any demolition permit or building permit, the Contractor must file with the
Northampton Building Department, with a copy to the Northampton Health Director, a report detailing
the hazards posed by the COVID-19 pandemic that are presented at the work site and a plan specifying
the methods by which those hazards will be mitigated. In addition, the plan shall specify the methods by
which the project will comply with the requirements of these Policies and Procedures, including a sketch
plan showing where all required physical elements, such as wash stations and bathroom facilities, will be
located.
2. Prior to the issuance of any trench, driveway, utility connection permit, or any other permit issued by the
Northampton Department of Public Works (DPW), the Contractor must file with the DPW Director, with
a copy to the Northampton Health Director, a report detailing the hazards posed by the COVID-19
pandemic that are presented at the work site and a plan specifying the methods by which those hazards
will be mitigated. In addition, the plan shall specify the methods by which the project will comply with
the requirements of these Policies and Procedures, including a sketch plan showing where all required
physical elements, such as wash stations and bathroom facilities, will be located.
3. Such Compliance Plan shall include the designation of a COVID-19 Officer (who may be the Owner,
Contractor or a Health and Safety Officer), who shall certify under the pains and penalties of perjury that
the project and jobsite are in compliance with these Policies and Procedures. The COVID-19 Officer
shall certify weekly in writing to the Health Director that the project has been compliance for the
preceding week or, if not in compliance, all instances of noncompliance and all measures taken to bring
the project and jobsite into compliance .
4. Any project permitted prior to the issuance of these mandatory Policies and Procedures shall have three
(3) business days to file the report and plan required hereunder showing how the construction site meets
these Policies and Procedures or how the site will be modified to meet these Policies and Procedures.
Failure to file the report and plan as required will result in immediate suspension of any permit issued and
an order to cease and desist.
5. The department head of the department issuing the permit for the project, with the approval of the Health
Director, may waive any provision of these Policies and Procedures for a project anticipated to last no
more than four (4) hours on a single day. Any Contactor desiring a waiver shall apply in writing, stating
the basis for the requested waiver. Any such waiver shall be in writing.
FEES FOR PERMITS
1. All fees schedules for permits shall be modified for the duration of the Board of Health’s declaration of
state of emergency to be 1.5 times the existing fee plus the cost of any protective equipment provided by
the city to its inspectors and used during an inspection of the project.