Construction workers could learn when they can return to jobs Friday

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state construction workers could learn on Friday when they can go back to work as the daily number of coronavirus cases are slowly ticking down.

The decision to restart construction around the state could be the first restrictions under Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay at home order to be lifted.

Inslee will hold a news conference at 11:30 a.m. We’ll have it live on TV, the KIRO 7 smart tv apps, KIRO 7 News app and online.

Inslee said elective surgeries, some outdoor activity and construction were the restrictions he wanted to restart first.

Last week, a construction roundtable laid out a three-phase process to make that happen.

But there’s a lot of precautions that need to be taken first -- 30 of them, including employers providing PPE for workers.

Others include breaks and lunches in varied shifts to promote social distancing as well as supplying running water and soap for frequent hand washing.

“We’ve come up with a sensible plan for allowing limited return to construction with safety measures in place,” said Inslee.

Inslee will be joined at the news conference by executives from the Building Industry Association of Washington and Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council.

© 2020 Cox Media Group