COVID UPDATES
From the Desk of Julie Muller, Executive Vice President of SMACNA-WW
Protecting workers from wildfire smoke exposure: best practices
Labor & Industries, WA State | Wildfire smoke contains many hazardous chemicals. It can affect the lungs, worsening conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis and pneumonia. Wildfire smoke can also affect the heart, and increase the risk of heart attack. This fact sheet provides some best practices employers can use to protect their workers from the effects of wildfire smoke. These recommendations are encouraged for the safety of both indoor and outdoor workers.

See Air Quality Index map for Washington State for local air quality.

Please help Will Jensen's daughter, Maddie
Will Jensen, a Local 66 Member, has a daughter Maddie that sustained a traumatic brain injury with a fractured skull and bleeding in the brain. On the evening of September 9th, Maddie was bucked from her horse, drug, and then stepped on by the horse. Thankfully she was wearing a helmet or her injuries would have been worse. She was initially taken by ambulance to Providence in Everett, then later taken to Harborview in Seattle which is the trauma hospital for the Pacific Northwest.  

Please keep her and the family in your thoughts and prayers. For more information, please visit the family's GoFundMe page. They are hoping to raise $15k for future medical bills.

COVID-19 Impact on Construction Market - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™
Yahoo Finance | MarketsandMarkets™ published a report titled, "COVID-19 Impact on Construction Market by Type (Residential, Non-Residential, and Heavy & Civil Engineering) and Region – Global Forecast To 2021". Based on their findings, the Construction Market size is expected to decline from USD 11,217.4 billion in 2019 to USD 10,566.8 billion in 2020.

FAQS on the Presidential Memorandum titled, "Memorandum on Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations in Light of the Ongoing COVID-19 Disaster"
SMACNA National | The following FAQs address the Presidential Memorandum titled, "Memorandum on Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations in Light of the Ongoing COVID-19 Disaster" issued by the President on August 8, 2020 ("Memo"). These FAQs are based upon the Memo, as well as information and guidance issued by the Treasury Department Internal Revenue Service as of September 2, 2020, including Notice 2020-65. We will continue to update these FAQs as we receive additional guidance from the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service.

Beyond COVID-19
Thomas C. Schleifer | I’ve been ringing the “fire bell” constantly since this COVID-19 pandemic broke out in March, and I’m getting tired of hearing my own cautionary tale. This week, I’m making the assumption that construction professionals, now alerted, have taken necessary precautions to survive until this is over.

How schools should respond to COVID-19
COVID-19 will change everything -- and the way students learn is no exception. Nora Flanagan draws on her experiences as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system to share strategies on how educational institutions can pivot to meet the needs of students, teachers and parents amidst radical circumstances.
Last Email Update
Please click button below for our last email update on COVID-19 Resources.
Julie Muller, Esq.
Executive Vice President
jmuller@smacnaww.org | 425-289-5010