Philadelphia Issues Regulations for
Construction Activity

April 30, 2020
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has announced an Executive Order placing regulations on all construction activity permitted to resume on May 1, 2020. All businesses and employees in the construction industry working within the City of Philadelphia must follow the provisions of Mayor Kenney’s Executive Order.
 
The Mayor’s Order is consistent with a recent order issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania related to construction activities in that it provides for worksite safety, monitoring and physical distancing requirements (6-foot minimum), and requires that every person present at a work site must wear masks or face coverings. All work sites should implement hygiene and cleaning procedures, including handwashing stations and sanitization protocols for shared tools and high-touch and high-traffic areas. Handwashing stations must provide access to soap and running water or, alternatively, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
 
The Philadelphia order expands on the state mandated order in requiring that all construction activities, except emergencies, may only take place between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. No non-emergency work is permitted on weekends at this time. 
 
A contractor’s Pandemic Safety Officer or Site Safety Manager, required by the Commonwealth’s order, must obtain a COVID-19 training certificate from a source designated by the Department of Licenses & Inspections (L&I), as listed on the L&I website: OSHAcademy Course 638 (oshatrain.org) or OSHACAMPUS COVID-19 (360training.com). 
 
A COVID-19 Safety Plan must be maintained at each job site, addressing protocols to comply with City and Commonwealth orders and incorporating CDC and OSHA guidance. The COVID-19 Safety Plan should provide protocols designed to limit the spread of the virus. These protocols may include directions for site cleaning, use and maintenance of personal protective equipment (PPE), accurate inventory of cleaning materials on site, limitations on the number of workers at a given time, use of signage to remind workers to take health and safety precautions, plans in the event a worker becomes sick, and implementation of strict guidelines for maintaining personal hygiene and distancing. 
 
Limitations are in place on the number of people present on a job site based on the type of construction. Residential projects (detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses) are limited to four (4) people on site. For non-residential or commercial projects (which includes multifamily and student housing), the number of people permitted on enclosed portions of a project depends on the size of the project. Additionally, the City has prohibited construction work in existing residential buildings within occupied dwelling units and shared common areas, except for emergency repairs. 
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