JIC RELEASE NO. 444 - DPHSS Issues Directive Suspending All Construction Projects - GHS OCD

For information on COVID-19 cases, visit the official COVID-19 Situation Report and Dashboard at http://dphss.guam.gov/covid-19/.

DPHSS Directive Suspending All Construction Projects
The Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) has issued a directive relative to the suspension of all construction projects at close of business on Saturday, November 14, 2020, until further directive from the DPHSS.

On November 5, 2020, the DPHSS identified a significant cluster of COVID-19 positive cases among the employees of a local construction company. On November 9, 2020, additional COVID-19 cases were identified among employees of another local construction company. Guam’s construction industry relies heavily on foreign labor and a significant portion of the construction workforce is housed in temporary workforce housing. These companies have worksites throughout the island, including on military installations, Government of Guam projects, and local private sector projects. Several construction companies work together on projects. The emergence of this cluster and the threat presented by the substantial additional cases pose a significant danger to the public health of the construction workforce, industries associated with these projects, and the larger community. Immediate action is necessary to protect against further spread.

The Directive orders that all construction projects shall suspend operations at close of business on Saturday, November 14, 2020, until further directive from the DPHSS.

Application of this Directive to military-affiliated construction activities shall be coordinated between DPHSS and Department of Defense public health authorities. Affected businesses will be contacted directly by DPHSS and/or Department of Defense public health authorities.

The DPHSS will undertake a review of all operational plans and conduct site visits of temporary workforce housings to ensure applicable DPHSS guidance memoranda are complied with and to safeguard the health of the construction sector’s workforce. The DPHSS recognizes that construction is an important component of our island’s infrastructure and the suspension of construction activities is intended to be as limited in duration as possible. To this end, all affected companies are advised that cooperation with DPHSS in this mandatory review and inspection process will permit the process to move expeditiously so that affected activities can resume as soon as possible.

Businesses that refuse to comply with this Directive may be subject to fines and/or the termination of business licenses, as well as any other penalties as may be available under Guam law. DPHSS shall enforce this Directive with the assistance of the Guam Police Department, the Guam Fire Department, and other regulatory agencies of the Government of Guam, including the Department of Labor.

Because of the significance of the identified spread thus far, employees of all businesses affected by this Directive are instructed to quarantine themselves at their places of residence for the duration of this suspension period.

Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, HVAC technicians, landscapers, and other service providers, may continue to operate for the limited purpose of providing services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and operation of residences and authorized businesses.

For the latest information on COVID-19, visit dphss.guam.gov or guamrecovery.com. For inquiries on COVID-19, contact 311 through a local number, or call the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10.

Click Here to View DPHSS DIRECTIVE RE CONSTRUCTION (11-12-20)

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC RELEASE NO. 444 - DPHSS Issues Directive Suspending All Construction Projects