New Safety Guidance from City of Austin

Today, the City of Austin released a revised Stay Home-Work Safe Order, which will remain in effect through May 8, 2020. The new Order continues to require citizens to stay home, and to only leave their residences for to work in or access Essential Businesses, Essential Government Services, or Critical Infrastructure or to perform Minimum Basic Operations for a Non-Essential Business. Persons leaving their home must now wear a non-medical grade covering over their nose and mouth, such as a homemade mask, bandana, or scarf unless they are engaged in certain excepted activities like exercise.

Consistent with the City’s previous guidance, the Revised Order specifically identifies “residential and building commercial construction” as critical infrastructure and states that it should not be construed to hinder construction identified in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 2.0. This effectively exempts construction from the Order.

Finally, Exhibit D of the Revised Order sets out new health and safety requirements for all construction projects in the City of Austin, regardless of project size. These requirements replace those contained in previous guidance issued by the City on March 24, 2020 and March 30, 2020. For more information about the specific safety requirements, please see our FAQ page.