More Los Angeles County Cities Issue Guidance for Construction Sites to Reduce Spread of COVID-19

April 6, 2020Client Alert

After the City of Los Angeles issued a requirement that contractors develop COVID-19 plans, many cities have followed suit. Below is a non-exhaustive list of cities in Los Angeles County that have instituted requirements or have provided guidelines to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 at construction sites:

  • SANTA MONICA issued a supplement to its emergency order requiring, among other things, that hand washing facilities be installed or hand sanitizer be provided at each pedestrian entrance of a construction site, and that signs be posted at each entrance instructing workers:

(a) to maintain social distancing,

(b) not to enter if they have come into contact with a person confirmed to have COVID19,

(c) not to enter the site if they are experiencing signs of illness,

(d) to return home if they begin feeling ill, and

(e) regarding cleaning and sanitation requirements as required by the supplemental order. 

A City Building Officer has the right to issue a stop work order if the construction site is in violation of the supplemental order. The supplemental order is valid through April 30, 2020, unless extended. Santa Monica’s Recommended Best Practices for Construction Sites can be found here.

  • MALIBU issued instructions that all construction sites should follow the City of Los Angeles’ guidance.
     
  • CULVER CITY issued guidelines that require construction industry employers to develop a COVID19 exposure control plan that will be verified by City Building Safety staff during regularly scheduled inspections or during investigations associated with a complaint that the construction site is in violation of the guidelines.
     
  • PASADENA also issued guidelines that require construction industry employers to develop a COVID19 exposure control plan that will be verified by City staff during regularly scheduled inspections or during investigations associated with a complaint that the construction site is in violation of the guidelines.

The above guidelines are based on the CDC’s interim guidelines for businesses and employers and OSHA’s guidelines on how to prepare the workplace for COVID-19.

The following cities have yet to issue any construction site-specific guidance: Beverly Hills, Long Beach, Torrance and West Hollywood.

Given that the above information is not exhaustive and continues to change, please reach out to the attorneys at Greenberg Glusker if you have any questions or require assistance with respect to COVID-19’s impact on construction projects in a specific municipality.