Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections’s Director of Audits and Investigations, Will Fernandez, Esq., sent an email to contractors with licenses in Philadelphia describing the coming shift in the enforcement of the city’s COVID-19 requirements for construction. L&I’s shifted approach to enforcement will begin on Monday, June 1, 2020.
Enforcement to this point has been driven by reported complaints. This shift will require contractors to ensure that sites are compliant with these guidelines and protocols.
GBCA has spoken with L&I to better understand these patrols. From L&I:
“Regarding our patrols- in short, an AIU inspector in a marked City car will follow a route (the route will be designed ahead of time on google maps without incorporating any permit data) and perform a basic COVID-19 requirements compliance inspection at each active jobsite they observe. We plan on prioritizing densely populated neighborhoods with many active construction sites. The inspector would not interact with contractors at the jobsites unless it became absolutely necessary—more often than not, the inspector will drive up to the jobsite, take some photographs and notes, and then move on.
If we observe any violations and can determine what contractor is responsible, a Notice of License Violation will be issued to the contractor. A COVID specific violation carries a $2,000 fine. Violations would all be backed up by inspector observations and photographs, and would be appealable to the Board of Licenses and Inspections Review.”
L&I has informed GBCA that the enforcement will begin on Monday June 1, 2020 and will focus on the following:
- Proper PPE (Face Coverings)
- An identified Pandemic Safety Officer (PSO) with certification
- A written pandemic safety plan along with the other requirements outlined in the resources below.
We will continue to highlight significant regulatory changes to ensure our members can continue to safely navigate this pandemic. Please refer to the links below frequently as they are regularly updated.
Regulations:
Site Safety Protocols:
