Dear members:
I hope this message finds you all healthy and coping well in this temporary but stressful time. I have several resources to share from a safety perspective, and I want to start with the one that is quite relevant for these uncertain times: mental health amidst crisis. As safety professionals, you are on the front lines of your company’s response, and I have been fielding so many calls from you all trying so hard to protect people, ease the panic, and also keep up with your regular safety duties that have just been amplified so dramatically in such a short period of time. You all are doing hard work, and being a source of calm and resource even when we don’t have all the answers. So, hats off to you!
In order to help you,
and your team, here are some resources to help with mental health and suicide prevention.
These are most robust sources of mental-health information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic:
Switching gears a little, I wanted to remind you all that we have some documents for your use to stop the spread if you are still working after the updated direction for Governor Inslee.
First is our Jobsite-Practices document that will help you with CDC, DOH, and Local jurisdiction informed health protection practices. Then you can document those efforts for each site on our site specific workplan. We also have a refreshed toolbox talk coming soon. In supplement to the jobsite practices guide, the Oregon Chapter has created a great document to help clarify the responsibilities of your social distancing officer. And AGC of America released a guidance document that can help you with prescreening activities, as well as responding to potential cases of COVID-19.
On Wednesday, the Department of Labor and Industries released two new documents to help employers respond to the changing work environments. One is a Guide for Construction-Work Activities during the pandemic response. Please note that this is an advisory document and not enforceable. I have gotten confirmation from the Department that the intent of the document is to be a resource and to share ideas, but
not for enforcement. The other document, Telework Safety Resources, is focused on
creating ergonomic workstations.
Field Wire did a webinar this week, featuring myself and construction professionals from around the country and how we are managing in this time of uncertainty. You can view that webinar, or read the transcript here.
Lastly, I have had several requests from folks about doing temperature screens for workers before they come onsite. To be clear, this is not required (as it is not a definitive answer if someone is contagious with COVID-19), but if you choose to do it, here is some guidance from HR Dive.
In closing, we at AGC of Washington are working hard to protect everyone’s health and safety while also trying to protect jobs. I am so incredibly proud of the work you all are doing. Thank you for the opportunity to support you in this effort. Please know that I am sending healthy wishes to you, your teams and your
families!
Very best wishes,
Mandi
Mandi Kime, CHST Director of Safety mkime@agcwa.com
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