COVID-19 Checklist for Employers and Employees

This resource article is courtesy of the Mason Contractors Association of America. For more information visit the COVID-19 Resource Hub at coronavirus.masoncontractors.org.

Know the Symptoms of COVID-19 

• Coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. 
• Early symptoms may include chills, body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and runny nose.  If you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, DO NOT GO TO WORK and call your health-care provider immediately.  Do the same thing if you come into close contact with someone showing these symptoms. 

Employer Responsibilities 

• Develop a COVID-19 Exposure Action Plan. 
• Conduct safety meetings (toolbox talks) by phone if possible.  If not, instruct employees to maintain 6-feet between each other.  The foreman/supervisor will track attendance verbally rather than having employees sign an attendance sheet. 
• Access to the job site and work trailer will be limited to only those necessary for the work. 

• All visitors will be pre-screened to ensure they are not exhibiting symptoms. 
• Employees, contractors, and visitors will be asked to leave the jobsite and return home if they are showing symptoms. 
• Provide hand sanitizer and maintain Safety Data Sheets of all disinfectants used on site. 
• Provide protective equipment (PPE) to any employees assigned cleaning/disinfecting tasks. 
• Talk with business partners about your response plans.  Share best practices with other businesses in your communities (especially those in your supply chain), chambers of commerce, and associations to improve community response efforts. 

Employee Responsibilities 

• Become familiar with the Exposure Action Plan and follow all elements of the Plan. 
• Practice good hygiene:  wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If these are not available, use alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.  Avoid touching your face, eyes, food, etc. with unwashed hands. 

Cleaning/Disinfecting Job Sites and Other Protective Measures 

• Clean and disinfect frequently used tools and equipment on a regular basis.  This includes other elements of the jobsite where possible.  Employees should regularly do the same in their assigned work areas. 
• Clean shared spaces such as trailers and break/lunchrooms at least once per day. 
• Disinfect shared surfaces (door handles, machinery controls, etc.) on a regular basis. 
• Avoid sharing tools with co-workers.  If not, disinfect before and after each use.  

• Arrange for any portable job site toilets be cleaned by the leasing company at least twice per week and disinfected on the inside.  
• Trash collected from the jobsite must be changed frequently by someone wearing gloves. 

Personal Protective Equipment and Alternate Work Practice Controls 

• Provide and wear the proper PPE. 

• Keep the dust down by using engineering and work practice controls, specifically through the use of water delivery and dust collection systems. 

Photo Credit: Gerasimov174