NAHB Members Urged to ‘Stand Down’ for Coronavirus Safety

Disaster Response
Published

NAHB is urging members, and all residential construction companies, to halt work for at least 10 minutes on Thursday, April 16, for a COVID-19 Job Site Safety Stand Down to educate workers on what they should do to keep themselves safe from coronavirus and to help “flatten the curve” for everyone.

NAHB has developed detailed blueprints — in English and Spanish — for builders to conduct their COVID-19 safety stand downs, including guidance on sharing the resources digitally.

The Department of Homeland Security recently designated construction of single-family and multifamily housing as an “Essential Infrastructure Business,” allowing construction to continue in places under stay-at-home orders. Although this designation is not binding on state and local governments, it does mean that there could be more workers on construction sites in the coming weeks.

“With more workers coming back to job sites, we need to make sure they have all the information they need to stay healthy and safe,” said NAHB Chairman Dean Mon, a home builder and developer from Shrewsbury, N.J. “It is critical that everyone on a construction site alter their normal behavior and strictly follow public health guidelines while at work.”

As part of the safety stand down, members are being asked to pause all work for at least 10 minutes to relay coronavirus safety precautions, such as maintaining a distance of no less than six feet with others at all times, cleaning and sanitizing frequently used tools, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces on a regular basis and ensuring the proper sanitation of common surfaces and equipment. The safety information can also be distributed digitally (through email and/or text).

NAHB and other construction industry partners have also developed a comprehensive Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan for Construction that outlines the steps every employer and employee should take to reduce the risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID-19. It describes how to prevent worker exposure to coronavirus, protective measures to be taken on the job site, personal protective equipment and work practice controls to be used, cleaning and disinfecting procedures and what to do if a worker becomes sick.

NAHB and industry partners also have created a quick-reference job site checklist for employers and employees and a job site safety poster — available in English and Spanish — that can be distributed throughout the workplace. These and other resources for members can be found at nahb.org/coronavirus.

Contact Rob Matuga with any questions about the stand down.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Jul 03, 2025

Consumer Confidence Retreats in June

After a strong rebound in May, consumer confidence resumed its downward trend in June. Consumers remain concerned about the economy and labor market amid ongoing uncertainty, especially around tariffs.

Sponsored Content

Jul 02, 2025

5 Proven Strategies Smart Builders Use to Grow in Any Market

Sound Capital has worked with builders across market cycles for over 20 years. They have seen who thrived when others pulled back, and they've studied the strategies they used to scale while competitors were sidelined. Here are five things they all had in common.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 03, 2025

Solid Job Growth in June

The U.S. labor market continued to show resilience in June, with steady job gains led by state/local government and health care sectors.

Economics

Jul 02, 2025

Two or More Story Home Starts Rebound in 2024

Over half of new single-family homes built in 2024 were two or more stories, according the recent release of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC). After declining in 2023, the share of homes started with two or more stories increased again in 2024, continuing the upward trend in place since 2020.

Economics

Jul 01, 2025

May Private Residential Construction Spending Dips

Private residential construction spending fell by 0.5% in May, marking the fifth straight month of decreases. This drop was primarily driven by reduced spending on single-family construction. Compared to a year ago, total spending was down 6.7%, as the housing sector continues to navigate the economic uncertainty stemming from ongoing tariff concerns and elevated mortgage rates.