Preventing Cold, Flu, and COVID-19 Illnesses on Your Jobsites

Safety
Published
Contact: Jared Culligan
[email protected]
Program Manager, Safety
202-266-8590

In the construction industry, we often think that working outdoors creates less risk for catching cold, flu, and COVID-19 illnesses, but it’s crucial to understand that these illnesses can still spread while working in close proximity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates as many as 2.1 million flu illnesses and 3,200 deaths caused by the flu in the U.S. occurred between Oct. 1 and early December of 2024. As we begin to approach peak flu season, NAHB is raising awareness to help your organization prevent any illnesses from starting and spreading in your workplace.

How Are Construction Workers Affected?

  • Sharing the same tools, equipment, and restroom facilities.
  • Carpooling to work together.
  • Taking over-the-counter medications which can lead to impaired judgment while on the job.
  • Working outside in cold weather can lead to a weakened immune system, creating more vulnerability for catching a respiratory illness.
  • Working under stressful conditions resulting in loss of sleep, appetite, and increased risk of workers using alcohol and substances.

What can your organization do to prevent workers from getting sick?

  • Train employees on preventing the spread of cold, flu and other illnesses.
  • Provide an adequate amount of toilet and handwashing facilities and keep them in proper sanitary condition. OSHA requires at least one restroom for every 20 workers, but the best industry practice is one restroom per eight workers working a standard 40-hour work week.
  • Encourage workers to wash hands frequently with soap and water.

NAHB and its partners have several resources available to train workers on proper jobsite sanitation methods and best practices to recognize and prevent the spread of cold and flu symptoms, including:

 

Subscribe to NAHBNow

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

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

IBS | Leading Suppliers Council

Oct 23, 2025

IBS 2026 Exhibit Home Aims for Groundbreaking Energy-Efficiency Rating

For anyone curious about how far today’s innovative building products can take a home’s performance, The New American Home 2026 is the must-see showcase at the upcoming Builders’ Show, taking place Feb. 17–19.

Workforce Development

Oct 22, 2025

NAHB Generates Enthusiasm for the Trades During the Big Build

NAHB recently introduced thousands of students to the skilled trades during The Big Build event at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Oct 20, 2025

Non-Conventional Financing for New Home Sales Loses Ground in 2024

Nationwide, the share of non-conventional financing for new home sales accounted for 31% of the market per NAHB analysis of the 2024 Census Bureau Survey of Construction (SOC) data. This is 1.7 percentage point lower than the 2023 share of 32.4%. As in previous years, conventional financing dominated the market at 69.3% of sales, higher than the 2023 share of 67.6%.

Economics

Oct 17, 2025

Better Growth, Larger Deficits: CBO Fiscal Outlook

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a key nonpartisan score keeper that measures the effects of policy changes by the Federal Government. With several policy changes since January of this year, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), stricter immigration, and higher tariffs, the CBO updated its economic projections through 2028.

Economics

Oct 16, 2025

Amid Market Challenges, Builder Expectations Rise in October

Even as builders continue to grapple with market and macroeconomic uncertainty, sentiment levels posted a solid gain in October as future sales expectations surpassed the 50-point breakeven mark for the first time since last January.