After realizing the success of the industry’s first COVID-19 safety stand down in April 2020, many industry-related associations and their member companies are doing the same again the week of Jan. 11–15, 2021.

One such organization is the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Washington, D.C., which is encouraging its members, as well as all residential construction companies, to halt work for at least 10 minutes this week for a COVID-19 job site safety stand down to remind workers what they should do to keep themselves safe from the coronavirus and to help reduce its spread.

“After the success of the first COVID-19 stand down in April, NAHB and its construction industry partners are facilitating a second round of pandemic-specific safety training in the wake of the national post-holiday surge in infections,” said the NAHB.

As part of the safety stand down, members are being asked to reiterate coronavirus safety precautions, such as wearing face coverings; maintaining a distance of six feet between workers at all times; cleaning and sanitizing frequently used tools and equipment and frequently touched surfaces on a regular basis; ensuring the proper sanitation of common surfaces and equipment; and providing safe, clean and accessible restrooms and adequate hand-washing stations.

“NAHB’s members have done an excellent job of maintaining safe workplaces during the pandemic, but as COVID-19 cases increased after the holidays, we need to be proactive with our safety stand downs to make sure we continue with the proper protocols to keep our workers and communities healthy,” said Chuck Fowke, chairman of the NAHB and a custom home builder in Tampa, Fla.

Members of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, which is a partnership of trade associations in the construction industry, including NECA and the NAHB, are also participating in their own safety stand downs.