Heat and Frost Insulators News and Events

In response to the construction industry’s questions regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, the following are steps workers should be taking now:
• Don’t go to work if you are feeling sick.
• Don’t go to work if you have a fever.
• Don’t go to work if you have a cough or shortness of breath.
• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Don’t shake hands when greeting others.
• Avoid large gatherings or meetings of 10 people or more.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings, and training sessions.
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissues if you cough or sneeze or do so into your elbow.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When hand washing isn’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with greater than 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.
• Clean your hands frequently, including before and after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
• Bring food and water bottles from home to the job site and do not share.
• Drive to worksites or parking areas by yourself—no passengers or carpooling.
• Wipe down interiors and door handles of machines or construction vehicles, and the handles of equipment and tools that are shared, with disinfectant prior to entering. CDC has issued disinfection recommendations here.

Mechanical Insulators Labor Management and Cooperative Trust Executive Director Pete Ielmini represented the LMCT on America’s Work Force podcast on March 26.

Summary

In the last two weeks, Congress has passed one major piece of legislation and is poised to do the same in the coming days on a second bill. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) has been signed into law by the president. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) is scheduled to be voted on by the US House of Representatives as early as Friday, March 27 after already passing the US Senate on Wednesday, March 25. The House is expected to pass the bill and then it will head to the president who is expected to sign it into law.
Both of pieces of legislation were designed to provide economic relief for businesses and workers severely impacted by COVID-19. North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) lobbied very aggressively to ensure each bill contained policies that would help the working families of the construction industry as well as its contractors. The following memo is a summary of many of the key provisions impacting the building trades and its industry partners.
While Congress is expected to officially recess until mid to late April (possibly longer), plans for a fourth relief bill are already coming together. With the help of all the affiliates and our councils, the building trades will begin lobbying on it immediately. As you will read, we have unfinished business and our members and their families are depending on us to get it done.

Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

On March 25, the Prime Minister announced a new taxable benefit that provides $2,000/month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 19, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee approved legislation to regulate the amount of asbestos used in building materials and industrial facilities.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced a plan to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) has shared a brief on March 19 at 11:30 am with the following information to be shared as resources within their affiliated Unions.

Blog created on March 19 at 2 p.m. EST: This is an update regarding the March 18 Canadian federal government response regarding the Emergency Funds being supplied to Canadian citizens during the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

President Trump signed into law a Coronavirus aid, which was overwhelmingly approved by Congress.

In response to the construction industry’s questions regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, the following are steps everyone should be taking now:

• If you are feeling sick, do not go to work.
• Don’t shake hands when greeting others.
• Try to stay three to six feet away from others in gatherings, meetings, and training sessions.
• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%–95% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands
are visibly dirty.
• It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing,
sneezing or blowing your nose.

 

Construction industry employers should also:

• Plan for office staff to have the ability to work from home.
• Provide soap and running water on all jobsites for frequent handwashing.
• Provide hand sanitizer when soap and running water are impossible.
• If you work in healthcare facilities, train your workers in Infection Control RiskAssessment—for
information on this training program offered through CPWR, visit: https://www.cpwr.com/training/infection-control-risk-assessment-icra

 

Special guidance for travel:

Individuals at high risk for complications from COVID-19 should follow the current CDC’s guidance:
• Currently, older adults and persons with underlying health conditions are considered to be at increased
risk for severe illness and complications from COVID-19. People in high-risk groups should consult
with their healthcare provider about attending large events. (See: CDCguidance)
• Older adults and travelers with underlying health conditions should avoid situations that put them at
increased risk for more severe disease. This entails avoiding crowded places and avoiding nonessential travel such as long plane trips. (See: CDC guidance for travel)

 

Additional links from our Federal Government Partners:

From OSHA: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
From NIOSH: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/2019_ncov.html
From CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
From CDC for Employers about getting their businesses ready: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html