Los Angeles development and construction projects are forging on during the coronavirus. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, construction has largely been restricted in major cities such as San Francisco and New York. However, in Los Angeles, it’s humming along, but ever-so cautiously.
Daily on-site checks by city officials are making sure workers follow strict guidelines and practice social distancing. On projects from the $5 billion NFL stadium to mid-sized apartment complexes to the Frank Gehry-designed shopping mall, construction is safely and cautiously on-going.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently stated that building and safety officials had visited 1,912 construction sites within the past week. Active construction sites are being monitored daily, not only by city officials, but the public is also being asked to file complaints if they observe construction sites not following new COVID-19 rules.
Critical infrastructure projects like housing and homeless shelters are moving forward, but not at the expense of people’s health, and never at the risk of anyone’s life, Garcetti declared. And it seems to be a cautious and smartly done move, as we all try to manage this time of a virus outbreak well. To find the best construction executives, contact the construction recruiters with The Newport Group.
Construction Sites Are Being Checked Daily
Under new COVID-19 rules, construction companies working in LA are required to create comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control plans. Furthermore, it has been mandated that these plans must incorporate about a dozen safety guidelines recently developed by the city’s department of building and safety. Alongside daily site checks for compliance, employers are also being told to provide safety gear.
The safety guidelines call on construction companies to provide personal protective equipment, such as face masks and gloves. Hand-washing stations will also be installed throughout work areas; and to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, including shared tools and handrails.
Construction Companies Agree And Comply
Construction companies say compliance with these new guidelines won’t be an issue, because many of them have already been put into place. Ninety-five percent of the Los Angeles city’s guidelines were already in place at R.D Olson job sites, company president Bill Wilhelm reported to Curbed. But he did also note that it’s essential to keep reminding workers of the COVID-19 rules. Not because construction workers have a disregard for safety, but since a lot of collaborative efforts are taken for granted, like being able to share tools.
Social Distancing Is Keeping People Safe, But Still Moving
Taking these precautions, following guidelines, and daily site checks will cause work to slow down. Delayed start times, uni-directional stairwells, and social distancing are already being actively implemented on LA projects. Yet, Wilhelm agrees, “It’s a very fair trade-off if we have to deliver a little late to make sure we can be safe and still keep people working. And while we have not yet hit post-COVID construction predictions, we have seen construction returning to pre-COVID levels.”
The Newport Group Finds Blue-Chip Talent
The Newport Group is a leading executive recruiting firm with expertise in numerous industry verticals. We deploy proprietary data sets and meticulous processes to identify, recruit, place, and help retain blue-chip talent at leading companies nationwide. Turn the challenges ahead into competitive advantages alongside our help. Roles we’ve placed include CFO, VP of Construction, VP of Operations, Chief Estimator, to name a few.
Our team of recruiters is active in all sectors of real estate development, including production homebuilding, multifamily, commercial, retail, and land. Construction verticals include commercial, civil, utility, pipeline, infrastructure, as well as environmental consulting and remediation. Additional expertise covers IT sectors, including healthcare IT. Ever strategic in our approach, we present talent that aligns with our clients’ strategic objectives.
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