As we continue to evaluate the coronavirus and its effects on the Philadelphia region, one of our primary goals as your association is to maintain a clear line of communication in order to support our members in maintaining a safe and healthy workforce.
General Updates:
- As of today, construction sites that are not permitted under the Governor’s Order must be made safe and secure by Friday March 27, 2020 at 5pm.
- Non-emergency construction that may continue without a waiver approval includes: Medical, Pharmaceutical, Healthcare Facilities, City essential infrastructure projects (projects that the City deems necessary to ensuring that the City can continue delivering critical infrastructure services).
- Emergency repair and maintenance work that may continue: Emergency repairs to residential and non-residential properties (Roof, plumbing leaks, hot water heater replacement, testing, maintenance, certification of repair of life safety systems, HVAC system repair).
- Contractors must obtain permits within 3 days of emergency repair or replacement through the eCLIPSE system.
- Contractors are asked to take measures to protect adjacent properties, remove or fasten items that could become loose, secure sites against trespass and complete work necessary to ensure the structural integrity of buildings under construction.
- Make-Safe Permits must be made in person at the L&I district office at 1512 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. You can find out more information about this process on this information sheet.
Philadelphia Department of L&I will host two eCLIPSE webinars this week, on Wednesday, March 25 and Thursday, March 26. Please note, you can only file permit applications through eCLIPSE while the Municipal Services Building (MSB) is closed. Learn more about using eCLIPSE and register for one of the two webinars by clicking below:
Additional eCLIPSE notes:
- You must establish an eCLIPSE online account.
- Anyone submitting applications has to register your license or applications will get kicked back.
- Please anticipate delays of up to 5 days. L&I is processing the applications remotely and requires additional time to compile the information.
- The number 1 delay in processing online permits and project applications is tied to contractors not having current insurance information on-file with their trade license. Please make sure you have current certificates on file. You can visit your homepage to verify this.
- Inspections: please continue to use the IVR System to schedule inspections for work that is permitted to continue under the Governor’s Order. If the department cannot physically send an inspector for a scheduled inspection, the department will consider accepting photos, videos, and third-party certifications and analyze conditions remotely. L&I will continue to provide more updates on this process in the coming days.
Additionally, as construction sites are shut down or facing shutdown throughout the country, site security becomes a critical need. GBCA member, Kastle Systems is offering a webinar on Wednesday, March 25 on how to secure your construction site.
Resources:
Make Safe Permits Information Sheet
Philadelphia L&I eCLIPSE Webinars
IVR System Information
Kastle Systems Construction Site Security Webinar
