CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Essential workers, including construction crews, are at a significantly higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
“It’s a tough business to stay 6 feet apart. We’re always thinking about what we can do to keep our employees safe,” said Rich Cerretti, who oversees JE Dunn Construction’s projects in the Carolinas.
Cerretti said the national company started screening construction employees for the virus.
[ [Charlotte sanitation workers say they’re being put at unnecessary risk] ]
In Charlotte, they began with their largest job site near the South Park Mall, filled with about 600 employees per day building new apartment towers.
Workers are asked to fill out a short questionnaire before they arrive each day to assess possible symptoms.
They line up at least 6 feet apart until a third-party company takes their temperature.
If they pass, workers receive a sticker allowing access to the work site.
[SPECIAL SECTION: TRACKING CORONAVIRUS]
“The screening takes about 10 seconds and you can move on, grab your sticker and you’ll be on the site. We’re doing all we can to make them feel safe when they get here,” Cerretti said.
The procedure falls in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new recommendations for employers in essential industries.
The recommendations include assessing possible symptoms prior to work, increasing the frequency of cleaning commonly used areas and encouraging employees to wear masks while on the clock.
[ [New CDC guidance for essential workers during coronavirus] ]
JE Dunn is just one of several construction companies implementing these changes for its employees.
All the businesses that are part of the Charlotte Commercial Construction Coalition are also following the new guidelines.
The group includes 30 local general contractors that hire hundreds of workers.
Cerretti warns if companies don’t follow suit, the virus could deplete the labor force even more.
“If we’re not working, a lot of these folks aren’t getting paid,” he said.
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The CDC also loosened some restrictions on essential workers.
Exposed employees, who are not showing symptoms, can return to work within a week from exposure.
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