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'We Have Safety Directors On Every Job': Construction In Pa. To Resume May 1 Under Safety Guidelines

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The stay-at home-order across Pennsylvania will remain in place for just 11 more days, and that slow reopening process begins on May 8.

But construction companies will get a head start.

Gov. Tom Wolf decided construction can resume on May 1 under "strict safety guidelines."

Workers on private and public construction jobs will need to continue with social distancing and limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people.

KDKA's Meghan Schiller talked to the CEO of Burns & Scalo who said his company received a waiver to keep working on three job sites for healthcare companies.

When work on his other jobs pick back up, he'll need to provide more hand washing stations, stagger shifts, breaks and limit tool sharing.

"We have safety directors on every job making sure -- they're basically police making sure," said James Scalo. "Nobody wants to wear a mask. Construction workers are tough guys, you know most of them don't want to follow those types of rules but they have to. They have to."

The governor's order also asks for construction companies to host virtual meetings and sanitize all tools used on the site.

In Pittsburgh, the Departments of Mobility and Infrastructure and Permits, Licenses and Inspections issued guidelines for permit holders and applicants to follow.

"Following the leadership of Governor Wolf, and in accordance with strong safety measures, the time is right to slowly restart construction activity in the city. City of Pittsburgh departments are standing by and ready to help," Mayor Bill Peduto said in a press release.

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