Resumption of certain construction sites starting on April 20th
Resumption of certain construction sites starting on April 20th
Residential construction sites will now be included in the list of essential services and activities and will be authorized as of April 20th.
“As residential construction has tangible social impacts on a large number of households, it was necessary to include this sector in the list of essential services and activities,” said the Quebec Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Solidarity, Jean Boulet. We want to make sure that people can integrate their new residence as soon as possible, which in turn will make housing available on the rental market”, he added, believing that the construction works and residential renovations can be done while ensuring the health and safety of workers in this sector of the industry.
Work to complete deliveries of residential units scheduled for July 31st, 2020 at the latest will be authorized to start April 20th. Citizens concerned will therefore be able to integrate their new residence soon. This includes construction and renovation work, including those related to surveying and building inspection, which at the same time reopens the supply chain of this sector of the construction industry, made up of many SMEs.
CNESST offers a guide for construction companies
The Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) and the construction stakeholders have developed a Guide to COVID-19 on good practices to adopt in the current context.
The objective of this tool is to respond to the concerns of the construction community. The measures will be updated regularly as the situation evolves.
The guide is intended for employers and workers. It brings together the measures to be put in place to reduce the risk of contamination by COVID-19. There are tags for the resumption of work on construction sites as well as good sanitary and hygienic practices to be observed, especially in terms of hand washing, sharing of tools and organization of work.
[* Note that a CNESST inspector could demand the closure of a workplace if an employer does not respect the guidelines issued by the Public Health department corrective measures are taken.*]
[**To Consult the COVID-19 Guide for construction sites: http://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/salle-de-presse/covid-19/Pages/QR-construction-covid-19.aspx*]
