MANILA, Philippines — The government has announced that it would allow private and public construction projects to resume in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ).
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases had amended the guidelines on infrastructure projects to allow the resumption of works in priority projects that refer to food production, agriculture, fishery, fish port development, energy, housing, communication, water facilities, manufacturing and business process outsourcing.
Also allowed under the revised guidelines were facilities for construction personnel, sewerage projects, water service facility projects, and digital works.
Below are the construction safety guidelines set by the government for the implementation of infrastructure projects during the coronavirus crisis:
PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT:
-Only persons from 21 to 59 years of age, without pre-existing health conditions, such as, but not limited to, immunodeficiency comorbidities, or other health risks, including any person who resides with the aforementioned; and who did not come into contact with someone with COVID-19 shall be allowed to be included in the workforce.
-Construction personnel shall be required to undergo COVID-19 test, as may be prescribed by the Department of Health, and retested as the need arises. In this regard, consultation with medical doctors prior to the conduct of the COVID-19 test shall be made.
-The head of the concerned implementing office shall issue construction quarantine pass to the individual qualified personnel of the concessionaires, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, clearly stating the identification, designation, nature of work, validity, and destination. It is understood that the quarantine pass shall cover the transit of personnel.
-The concessionaires, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers shall provide for their personnel/workers the necessary welfare facilities and amenities, such as employees’ quarters for board and lodging, ensuring compliance to social distancing, proper hygiene, etc.
-Contractors shall ensure that their projects are in compliance with DOLE D.O. No. 13 series of 1998. Contractors shall provide their personnel and workers continuous supply of vitamins, particularly vitamin C, other over-the-counter medicines, quarantine facilities, and oxygen tanks for emergency purposes.
-Contractors shall provide disinfection facilities in their respective project sites in compliance with pertinent DOH and IATF Guidelines, to be placed at strategic locations to ensure the safety and welfare of all personnel
-Proper information dissemination regarding COVID-19 construction protocols on top of existing construction safety practices shall be conducted by safety officers to all personnel.
-For government construction projects, personal records of all personnel necessary for contact tracing shall be submitted by the concessionaires, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers to the DPWH IO and shall be resubmitted and updated monthly, or as the need arises
DURING DEPLOYMENT:
-Conduct an inventory of works for the construction sequencing to be followed and undertaken to maintain social distancing
-Break times shall be conducted in a staggered manner
-Employees should be in their respective quarters for the entire duration of the project covered by the ECQ and GCQ. Otherwise, “Prior to Deployment” procedures shall be conducted at every instance of re-entry
-Errands to be conducted outside the construction site premises shall be kept to a minimum
-Number of personnel running errands shall be limited, properly disinfected, and closely monitored for symptoms within 14 days upon re-entry
-Field offices, employees’ quarters, and other common areas shall be regularly disinfected
-Concessionaires, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers shall provide in–house personnel: adequate food; safe/potable drinking water; disinfectants; and hand soaps
-Daily monitoring of health conditions of workers
-Personnel with symptoms relative to COVID-19 shall be quarantined for fourteen (14) days, and brought to the nearest DOH COVID-19 treatment facility, if necessary
-Work activities shall be strictly monitored by the Safety Officer to ensure compliance to safety standards and quarantine protocols
-For government construction projects, DPWH Engineers on-site shall ensure strict compliance to the wearing of additional Personal Protective Equipment
-Contractors of essential private construction projects under GCQ shall assign a safety officer to ensure the implementation of social distancing measures
-For off-site employees: quarters and transport services will be provided and disinfected regularly, before and after use.
-Sharing of construction and office equipment is discouraged. However, if necessary, the shared equipment must be disinfected in between transfers amongst personnel
-All material and equipment delivery and disposal shall be conducted by a specific team of personnel on an isolated loading/unloading zone and shall be duly disinfected, as possible.
-Non-essential personnel will not be allowed to enter the construction site, employees’ quarters, and field offices
-All personnel entering the site premises on a temporary basis shall be properly logged and checked for symptoms
-Gatherings, Liquors, and/or merrymaking are strictly prohibited within the construction site premises
-Clustered and staggered deployment of employees within the construction site shall be observed.
-Proper waste disposal shall be provided for infectious waste such as PPEs and other waste products coming from outside the construction premises