Construction projects in Washington, which have been widely shut down since March 25, resumed this week in limited scope and under new safety guidelines issued by Gov. Jay Inslee.
Gov. Inslee announced last week that the state would be transitioning to a four-phase approach as part of reopening the state’s economy. The permissible activities and services will transition from phase to phase based on five different categories, including high-risk populations, recreation type, permitted gathering sizes, travel and type of business. Construction projects that were already underway before the governor’s stay-at-home order went into effect and projects that meet certain criteria could resume on Tuesday, May 5, as part of the first reopening phase. New construction projects will be allowed to break ground when the state enters phase two of the reopening process.
The governor’s office issued an addendum and FAQs that clarify the types of projects that were allowed to resume on May 5. Additionally, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries has devised an outline of general requirements and prevention ideas for workplaces that must be followed by all industries under the reopening phases.
ABC will provide the latest information on reopening construction sites in Newsline.