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Construction workers are prone to getting sick for several reasons — COVID-19, bacterial infections, air pollution, etc. During the pandemic, it is especially important to ensure that all construction workers are healthy. To learn about how to react to a sick road construction worker, read this quick guide.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has helpful guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19. The first thing managers and supervisors should do is to ask the construction worker if they came in contact with anyone else who might have the virus. Regardless of the answer, the construction worker should go home immediately.
As soon as possible, let the other employees know that someone is going home for medical reasons. Remind all concerned workers that no one has confirmed a case of the virus. Allow high-risk construction workers to stay home for a full 24 hours. Sanitize the area where the sick employee was working, as well as all tools that they used.
Before high-risk construction workers can return to work, ask them if they have any COVID-19 symptoms or if they came in contact with someone who might have the virus. Then check all employees for symptoms. Remind all workers about the health and safety guidelines. Throughout the day, make sure that all construction workers abide by the guidelines. Sanitize construction equipment regularly.
While ensuring that all employees are healthy on the job, it is very important to have compassion for those who’ve fallen ill. Here are a few ways to show a sick employee that you care about their recovery.
Remember that everyone gets sick for various reasons. Even though COVID-19 is a contagious virus, your employee might not have it. Also, while you are worried about the spread of the virus, they’re probably just as concerned as you are.
Periodically checking up on your sick worker will show that you care. Asking them to keep you updated about news related to their health is another way to make them feel appreciated. Perhaps, this way, you will also find out the COVID-19 test results. This will help you determine the next steps for easing them back to work. After your employee is cleared by a doctor to return to work, ask for any accommodation requests.
A sick worker can unknowingly contaminate any surface, so it's crucial to be prepared with extra equipment during this time. For equipment that gets handled a lot it is often a good idea to have extra pieces of equipment available. Consider having extra stop/slow traffic paddles and traffic batons for workers to use. This reduces extra handling between workers who might potentially spread an illness.
