OSHA Gives Direction on COVID-19 Employee Screenings

Words: Jeff Buczkiewicz

Recently, OSHA announced that employers taking documented temperature screenings and/or asking employees to fill out written symptom surveys (as recommended by the CDC and in some cases required by local or states governments) must comply with the Access Rule. What does this mean? This means those records must be saved by the employer for the duration of the employment of each employee plus 30 years. As a result, the MCAA (as part of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition through the CISC law firm, is sending a letter appealing this clarification and questioning the validity and applicability for the Access Rule. 

 

This ruling would encourage contractors to either not do screenings or not to record the screenings, which is counter to the intent of doing them. The MCAA will continue to give updates on this issue and others as they develop. Make sure you monitor your newsletters for details.

When Schedules Tighten, Experience Shows
May 2026

In construction, schedules rarely open up; they tighten. Weather delays, trade coordination, and last-minute scope changes all add pressure, even on jobs that were planned down to the minute. When that happens, experienced masons don’t start cutting corne

Five Truths About Final Brick Cleandown
May 2026

Not all truths are self-evident. Sometimes they’re easy to forget or clouded with misunderstanding. The good news is these truths of final cleandown are not hard to implement on your next project to ensure successfully cleaned and beautiful new brick.

Shelf Angles and Their Impact on Wall Performance
May 2026

Shelf angles have long been a standard component in masonry construction. Installed at the slab edge, they provide support for brick veneer and are often treated as a routine detail. However, as building performance requirements evolve, particularly aroun

Registration Now Open for the 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting in San Antonio, Texas
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting, set to take place in San Antonio, Texas. This exciting event is scheduled from September 13th-1