The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to steps being taken to put in place arbitrary halts to construction activity in certain parts of the country:
“Halting construction activity will do more harm than good for construction workers, community residents and the economy. Construction firms are already acting to ensure the safety and health of their employees in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. These new measures, which include increased hygiene and halting group gatherings of staff, are in addition to the fact construction workers already wear protective equipment, including gloves that will help protect them and their co-workers.
“Given the precautions already in place, halting construction will do little to protect the health and safety of construction workers. But it will go a long way in undermining economic vitality by depriving millions of workers of the wages they will need over the coming days. At the same time, these measures have the potential to bankrupt many construction firms who have contractual obligations to stay on schedule or risk incurring significant financial penalties.
“In addition, halting construction projects will undermine ongoing, and future, recovery efforts in regions hit by natural disasters, and will also undermine any future efforts to expand hospital capacity.
“We understand the need for social distancing to help slow the spread of coronavirus. But needlessly shutting down projects where workers are already protected will not help. Instead it will threaten the livelihood of millions of craft professionals, force many small and family-owned businesses to shut down, and undermine the nation’s ability to respond to natural disasters, including the coronavirus.
“In the unfortunate event construction is halted, we urge construction owners to consider continuing their scheduled payments to contractors as a down payment for work to be completed on the project. These payments will help mitigate some of the potential economic impacts of construction shutdowns.”
Related Stories
Coronavirus | Apr 15, 2020
How has your work been impacted by COVID-19?
The SMPS Foundation and Building Design+Construction are studying the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the ability to attain and retain clients and conduct projects, along with other consequences.
Coronavirus | Apr 15, 2020
COVID-19 alert: 93% of renters in professionally managed multifamily housing paid some or all of their rent, says NMHC
In its second survey of 11.5 million units of professionally managed apartment units across the country, the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) found that 84% of apartment households made a full or partial rent payment by April 12, up 15 percentage points from April 5.
Coronavirus | Apr 15, 2020
DCAMM teams with SLAM and Gilbane Building Company to re-occupy Newton Pavilion for temporary quarantine of homeless during COVID-19 pandemic
First and only quarantine shelter in Boston-area to convert a shuttered hospital for homeless patient occupancy.
Coronavirus | Apr 15, 2020
3D printing finds its groove fabricating face shields during COVID-19 crisis
The architecture firm Krueck + Sexton is producing 100 shields for a Chicago-area hospital.
Coronavirus | Apr 14, 2020
COVID-19 alert: Missouri’s first Alternate Care Facility ready for coronavirus patients
Missouri’s first Alternate Care Facility ready for coronavirus patients
Coronavirus | Apr 13, 2020
COVID-19 alert: City conducts a 'virtual building inspection' to allow Starbucks and bank to open
Bothell, Wash., issues a certificate of occupancy to developer after inspecting the property online.
Coronavirus | Apr 13, 2020
Construction layoffs spread rapidly as coronavirus shuts down projects, in contrast to job gains through February in most metros
Association officials urge quick enactment of infrastructure investment, relief for hard-hit firms and pensions in order to save jobs in construction and supplier industries.
Coronavirus | Apr 12, 2020
How prefab can enable the design and construction industry to bring much needed beds to hospitals, faster
The outbreak of COVID-19 represents an unprecedented test for the global healthcare system. Managing the pandemic—and saving lives—depends largely on the availability of medical supplies, including the capacity of hospitals. But the United States lags behind other nations, with only 2.8 beds per thousand people compared to 4.3 in China and 12.8 in South Korea.
Coronavirus | Apr 10, 2020
HGA and The Boldt Company devise a prefabricated temporary hospital to manage surge capacity during a viral crisis
A STAAT Mod system can be ready to receive patients in less than a month.
Coronavirus | Apr 10, 2020
COVID-19: Converting existing hospitals, hotels, convention centers, and other alternate care sites for coronavirus patients
COVID-19: Converting existing unused or underused hospitals, hotels, convention centers, and other alternate care sites for coronavirus patients