Construction continues amidst coronavirus order; some workers concerned about safety

Activity in Bay Area cities has screeched to a halt. As people heed shelter-in-place orders, one of the groups continuing its normal operations: construction workers.

County orders exempt work on housing projects, deeming it part of "essential services." 

“As much as it can’t be business as usual, in the sense of these times are not usual times, we have the opportunity to move our projects forward," said Peter Tateishi, the CEO of Associated General Contractors (AGC) of California, a commercial trade group representing union and non-union members. "Projects are foundational to everything that is in our economy and our society.”

Tateishi and AGC are working to clear confusion for contractors about what qualifies under the orders and supports a broad approach towards the exemption. But not everyone agrees, KTVU received dozens of emails from concerned construction workers about their safety during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

All across the Bay Area, workers said they're remodeling bathrooms, working on luxury condos or extensions to homes, projects they don't think are "essential" work.  

“The conditions, bottom line, are not suitable for work in the unprecedented time we’re in with the COVID virus and are strictly contrary to what we’re hearing from the CDC, local government and federal government," said the owner of a subcontracting company, who wanted to remain anonymous.  

He's currently working on a project in San Francisco. 

“There’s hundreds of laborers and various tradespeople on-site at one time, working in close contact with one another in high traffic zones, these areas are generally poorly ventilated, close proximity is inevitable," said the subcontractor. 

In addition to a lack of social distancing, he says they're not being provided with gloves or enough hand sanitizer or hand-washing stations. 

“For the public health and safety of all, I’m deeply and gravely concerned," he said. 

In the wake of COVID-19, Tateishi says AGC formed a task force to ensure contractors take safety precautions outlined by the CDC and OSHA.  

“We and our members are absolutely following those rules, those regulations, those guidelines," said Tateishi. "It’s very important. The safety and health of our employees is paramount."

One construction worker told KTVU he's comfortable with the conditions at his site. 

“We have all our washing areas so we can stay sanitary, and everything else, also we have some cleaning wipes, everything like that, so if anything happens, we can take care of ourselves, we’re taking the highest precautions in our area," he said. 

While some construction sites try to adjust to new conditions and implement further safeguards, the subcontractor KTVU spoke with, says not enough is being done where he works. 

He believes officials need to fall in line with Boston, the first major city to suspend construction, with only a few exceptions. 

“To expect right now we could maintain business as usual on any sort of commercial job site is ludicrous," said the anonymous subcontractor. "They need to be shut down, we need to go all in, everyone needs to get on the same page.” 

Governor Newsom's statewide order lists construction including housing construction as exceptions, making them essential.