Austin Clarifies Which Construction Considered ‘Essential’

April 1, 2020

During the Covid-19 pandemic, governments local and federal have asked nonessential businesses to close or suspend operations. Many states are considering construction essential.

An article in the Austin Monitor clarifies rules for the construction industry, answering the question of which construction is considered essential. As of Monday, the city has implemented a new administrative process to approve projects as essential activities, critical infrastructure, essential business, or affordable housing projects. Projects that fall into any of these categories will be allowed to continue. Those that are found nonessential will be asked to halt. 

According to the article, a notice affirming each construction project’s essential status should be displayed at the construction site, and all projects must comply with social distancing and safety measures. These measures include daily job-site health screenings for each worker, hand-washing stations, eliminating community water coolers, and a commitment to cleaning and disinfecting shared tools. 

To determine which projects will move forward, the city has formed a Construction Exemption Review Committee that will review requests for designation, with all determinations being final. There is no process for appeals. 

Source: Austin Monitor