COVID-19 UPDATE 14
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM
UTCA PRESIDENT DAVE SMITH
AND CEO BOB BRIANT, JR.
We hope this message finds you and your loved ones well and safe during this uncharted time. As an industry and Nation, we are dealing with issues that have not been seen in a hundred years. The UTCA Staff and its leadership have been working tirelessly to keep our industry working. Not just to keep the economy flowing and our companies viable, but because we truly believe that our industry is life sustaining. To date, Governor Murphy has maintained the same position that our industry is a critical need to New Jersey and must continue to operate during this crisis.
The Governor however is under criticism from some who have questioned his position that the construction industry is an “essential business” and why it is allowed to continue to operate. Although the federal
Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
, issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has deemed our industry an “essential and critical” line of business which is to remain open, we
urgently remind
you that we all
have an obligation
to follow all of the CDC, OSHA and NJ Department of Health protocols to ensure the safety our employees and all those who enter our jobsites. We owe it to our employees, union partners and the Governor to be vigilant and rigorously follow these safety measures.
We are doing our best to separate ourselves from other industries to make sure we do not lose the ability to work and our employees maintain the ability to earn wages for their families. Stringent adherence to all the COVID-19 protocols is urgently needed. Please keep your employee’s safety first…they too have families to go home to.
NJ Department of Transportation Issues Contractor Notification Requirement Regarding Employees Potential Exposure to COVID-19
The New Jersey Department of Transportation has requested that UTCA share the following instructions to Contractors working on NJDOT projects. This notice pertains to situations when contractor employees may have potentially been exposed to the COIVID-19 virus.
“We want to remind all Contractors of the Department’s concern for the health of all our personnel on our construction projects, including those from State, Consultant, Contractors, Technical Representatives and Suppliers. During this current crisis, it is important to provide full, transparent communication between all parties as it is essential that all parties are aware of potential COVID 19 exposures on the projects from any parties/personnel connected to the projects.
Therefore, to further this transparency, the Department requests immediate written (email) as per any potential COVID 19 contact exposures with either symptomatic or confirmed COVID 19 personnel of Contractor personnel (this includes prime, subcontractor, technical support and supplier personnel) that are working on the project, who may have directly interacted with either the State or our Consultant staff. This notification must list those of our staff that the Contractor is aware of that may have had direct contact (either close or casual) with the noted Contractor personnel, indicating when and where the contact occurred. Furthermore, while it is understood that COVID 19 testing is not performed on all symptomatic people, but if testing is performed on any of the contractor personnel whom notice of exposure was previously identified to the Department, that the Department be provided with formal notification of the results either + or - (however, we understand you cannot not provide specific personnel names of those that are symptomatic or tested) as per impacts to the 14 day quarantine.
We will also ensure that both the Department and our Consultants provide the same notices of potential exposure and updates to the Contractor.
Furthermore, if a confirmed COVID 19 case in a DOT Construction Field Office occurs, the contractor will be directed to schedule a professional cleaning service to perform a thorough COVID 19 disinfection and cleaning of the Field Office as per standard industry practices under current circumstances. The cleanings must be performed prior to staff returning to the office. The Building Owner and the Department must be notified of this cleaning.
Lastly, we anticipate that all will maintain the necessary social distancing and we hope for the best health and safety of all personnel and their families.”
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If anyone has questions concerning this notice, please contact us at the UTCA office 732-292-4300.
