Covid-19 Update 3/27/2020
Are Roofing Contractors An Essential Business In Washington State?
Roofing contractors are facing mixed messages from Governor Inslee regarding the Covid-19 outbreak.
Disclaimer:
The following information is general business information to alert the reader to major business issues in Washington State affecting roofing contractors and this information does not include every requirement of every law or rule.
This information is not legal advice and should not be used as legal advice and does not assure compliance.
The reader should contact a qualified attorney for legal advice on how to comply with these state laws, rules and orders.
Taken together, Governor Inslee’s orders and announcements result in the following:
- Roofing contractors are “essential businesses” if they are doing emergency work to protect a residence or building from “spoliation”. Definition “spoliation” an action of ruining or destroying something.
- Roofing contractors must require and enforce their workers comply with “social distancing”(keeping 6-feet or mare apart) requirements.
- “Social distancing” compliance can become a safety and health violation subject to a $13,494 fine per violation for a non-willful violation and $134,937 fine per willful violation.
- Governor Inslee is asking construction businesses to take a pause to reduce the spread of the corona virus.
On March 03/23/2020
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Inslee announces "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order r
equires workers to stay-at-home unless they work for an essential business.
On March 03/24/2020
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"Inslee releases “essential business” proclamation.
Defines “essential business” in 14 pages that includes: “
Construction workers who support the construction, operation, inspection, and maintenance of construction sites and construction projects (including housing construction) for all essential facilities, services and projects included in this document, and for residential construction related to emergency repairs and projects that ensure structural integrity”
On March 03/25/2020
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Inslee provides construction guidance
“To prevent spoliation and avoid damage or unsafe conditions, and address emergency repairs at both non-essential businesses and residential structures.”
"To that end, it is permissible for workers who are building, construction superintendents, tradesmen, or tradeswomen, or other trades including, but not limited to, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, laborers, sheet metal, iron workers, masonry, pipe trades, fabricators, heavy equipment and crane operators, finishers, exterminators, pesticide applicators, cleaning and janitorial staff for commercial and governmental properties, security staff, operating engineers, ROOFING technicians, painting, moving and relocation services, forestry and arborists, and other service providers to provide services consistent with this guidance.”
"All construction activity must meet social distancing and appropriate health and worker protection measures before proceeding.”
On March 03/26/2020
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Inslee provides a verbal statement that:
“The construction industry needs to pause in the State of Washington with some exceptions. Construction to keep essential businesses like grocery stores open and operating is permitted. Second, we actually clarified is that construction for public entities cities counties for public purposes is allowed. Third, construction necessary to preserve existing assets is allowed. For example, if you've got a construction project that has been paused but you have an embankment that could collapse, you can put up shoring to protect that project to protect that project from spoliation. Other than that, construction needs to pause. I know that is difficult but construction companies need to consider their parents and grandparents to pause their construction work to avoid infecting other workers and infecting others with the virus. “
“This isn’t an easy decision for me as I've got family members in the construction industry but I'm totally convinced this is the right decision so we can get back construction as soon as we can by restoring the health of our economy.”
