Though state guidelines make some common-sense recommendations to employers, not all Massachusetts job sites adhere to the same safety practices.

If you see something that seems unsafe or against common sense, report to your Union Steward Safety Officer or contact the public health department in the city or town you’re working in.

• Your employer is instructed to provide you with a face mask, eye protection, and gloves when 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
• It’s important to wear your mask on all job sites to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Protect yourself by wearing a mask or respirator rated N95 or higher.
• Wear cut-proof gloves and safety goggles at all times. Make sure you sterilize your gloves and goggles before and after each shift.
• If you’re feeling sick, stay home.
• You are required to self-certify your own good health each day upon arriving on the job site. If you feel sick at all, do not self-certify. You cannot be forced to sign a waiver stating that you are not sick.

Each city has their own unique safety protocols. Check with your local city and town public health department to see what the rules are before entering the job site.

• Each employee has to sign in and fill out a COVID-related self-certification questionnaire before beginning work each day.
• Employers must post COVID-19 symptoms, social distancing guidelines, and a phone number to call before entering the job site.
• All site-specific projects with outside construction sites without ready access to an indoor bathroom must install Wash Stations.
• Employers must provide a designated break area that requires social distancing while workers are having meetings, eating lunch, making a phone call, and so forth.
• Employers must provide adequate bathrooms or portable toilets that must be cleaned and sanitized regularly throughout the day.
• Multi-person activities will be limited where feasible, such as two-person lifting activities. In instances where it is not feasible, additional precautions must be taken.

Each site has unique protocols based on the nature of the work. If you see something that seems unsafe or against common sense, report to your Union Steward or your Union’s designated COVID-19 Safety Officer or contact the public health department in the city or town you’re working in.

The self-certification process is part of new safety guidelines in place to protect workers. This means that you’ll need to affirm the following before entering any job site.

• You are not sick.
• You are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., temperature exceeding 100.3 degrees, cough or difficulty breathing).
• You have not been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• You have not been ordered or encouraged to self-quarantine.

Remember, your employer cannot force you to self-certify. If this occurs, report to your Union’s designated COVID-19 Safety Officer or contact the public health department in the city or town you’re working in.

Good workplace and tool cleaning practices are critical. Avoid sharing of tools whenever possible.

If no blood is present on the tool, it can be cleaned with mild soap and a damp cloth to remove any dirt or fluids or left to rest for 3 days. This is based on a CDC advisement noting that COVID-19 may live on plastic surfaces for up to 72 hours. This is recommended for batteries.

A mild soap and diluted bleach can be used as an additional decontamination measure. This is not recommended for batteries. Review the process below.

A properly diluted bleach solution can be made by mixing:

• 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water

or

• 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water

**No other cleaning material should be used. The diluted bleach solution should never be mixed with ammonia or any other cleanser.

**The cleaner should avoid touching their face with unwashed hands and should immediately wash their hands after this process.

1. Clean the product surface with mild soap and water to remove dirt and grease
2. Dip a clean cloth into the diluted bleach solution
3. Wring out the cloth so it is not dripping wet
4. Gently wipe each handle, grasping surface, or outer surfaces with the cloth, using care to ensure liquids do not flow onto tools
5. Allow the surface to dry naturally.

Workers are advised to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds throughout the day. Even longer hand washing is good practice after contact with wastewater.

Here’s how to properly wash your hands: https://bit.ly/2AIvd6I

• A change of clothes
• Hand sanitizer if you have it
• A mask rated N95 or higher
• Safety glasses
• Cut-proof gloves or the equivalent
• It is recommended that you bring your own food/drinks for lunch & breaks

COVID-19 has been found in sanitary drainage and vents, so a change of clothes is highly recommended for anyone working in these systems. “Therefore, for as long as the pandemic is still active, it should be assumed by anyone working on a sanitary drainage system that the virus is present.” (IAPMO, 3/11/2020)

No. We do not recommend commuting with anyone. Your employer may also turn you away from work for carpooling during the pandemic.

It is not possible to be in a vehicle and remain at least 6 feet apart. Remember, COVID-19 is often carried by people with no symptoms. Social distancing is crucial for your coworkers’ and family’s safety.

The state instructs employers to provide PPE to workers when social distancing is not possible. However, depending on the location of your job site and the nature of your work, your employer may not be required to provide you with any PPE.

However, it’s very important to wear a mask, safety glasses, and gloves to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Protect yourself and others by wearing your PPE at all times when on the job site.

Not all employers are required to provide PPE under Massachusetts guidelines. If your employer should be providing PPE and is not, contact your Union Steward or your Union’s designated COVID-19 Safety Officer or contact the public health department in the city or town you’re working in.

The only piece of paper that you should sign is the COVID-19-related questionnaire before beginning work each day.

If your employer asks you to sign a safety waiver of any kind, DO NOT SIGN IT, and call your Union’s designated COVID-19 Safety Officer immediately.

Stay home, alert your employer, and call your healthcare provider. Do not report to work if you have any COVID-19 symptoms. COVID-19 symptoms do vary, but often include:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Diarrhea or abdominal distress

If you exhibit any one of these symptoms, do not report to work.

If you are applying for unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, follow these key tips to receive quick and reliable benefits:

• Submit your application on or after the Monday following your layoff. Your application may be disqualified if you apply for unemployment assistance prior to the Monday after your layoff.
• Apply online. State-run call centers and offices are closed or operating with limited staffing. The fastest way is to apply online by following these instructions: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-unemployment-benefits
• Do NOT enter a “return to work” or “recall” date. Although some public officials have identified plans to re-evaluate suspensions of construction work, this is not a guarantee that your work will resume at that time.
• If you need to reset your password or have trouble accessing your account, use this link: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/reset-your-ui-online-password-as-a-claimant

I received a “monetary determination.” What does this mean?

• Determining monetary eligibility is the first step in determining if you are eligible for unemployment. The monetary determination alone is not an indication that you will receive benefits. You will receive a separate notice of approval when you are fully approved.

Do I need to file a new claim if I have filed in the past year and returned to work?

• If you have filed a UI claim with in the past 52 weeks, you do not have to file a new claim. You will be able to reopen your prior claim. When you log onto UI Online using the account information from your prior claim, click on the Reopen Claim link. You will need to validate your contact and payment information and provide employment information for the new employment you had since you filed your prior claim.

My employer has shut down or reduced my hours because of the coronavirus. Should I apply for unemployment?

• Yes. Apply as soon as possible. Please apply online. If your employer has reduced your hours of work or your wages, you may be eligible for partial unemployment benefits.

I am concerned about being exposed to COVID-19 and plan to quit my job. Am I eligible for unemployment benefits?

• It depends. Under current law, employees that demonstrate that they left work due to “urgent, compelling, and necessitous circumstances” are eligible for benefits. Such determinations are driven by the facts of the individual case. An employee who leaves work because of a fear of being exposed to COVID-19 will need to demonstrate, among other things, that such fear was reasonable in the circumstances.

My employer laid me off temporarily but offered part-time work. Can I work and collect benefits?

• Yes, but you must report any earnings. Once the earnings reach a certain amount, your unemployment benefits will be reduced on a dollar for dollar basis until you reach the amount of your weekly benefit, in which case, you will be ineligible for that week. This calculation is done on a weekly basis, so you need to accurately report your earnings to the Department of Unemployment Assistance each week.

For additional information on updated unemployment protocols, click here.

• Massachusetts COVID-19 guidelines and procedures for all construction sites: https://bit.ly/36HQQA3
• Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance: https://bit.ly/2Anh7HM
• CDC COVID-19 Guidance for Construction Workers: https://bit.ly/2AwKYxS
• AFL-CIO COVID-19 Guidance: https://aflcio.org/covid-19
• OSHA COVID-19 Construction Guidance: https://bit.ly/2MfMeYC
• Milwaukee Tool Cleaning Guidance to prevent spread of COVID-19: https://bit.ly/2BnbIBg