Wellesley, MA – Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts (AGC MA) issued the following update regarding the definition of essential services in Massachusetts during the statewide business closure:On March 31, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker extended his emergency non-essential business closure order through May 4 and issued an updated essential services list, which changes the language relative to construction as an essential service, originally
released on March 23.
Below is the language difference between the Governor’s March 23 and March 31 orders relating to construction.
CONSTRUCTION-RELATED ACTIVITIES (Updated as of 3/31/20)
- Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, builders, contractors, HVAC Technicians, landscapers, inspectors and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences, businesses and buildings such as hospitals, health care facilities, senior living facilities, and any temporary construction required to support COVID-19 response.
- Workers – including contracted vendors – who support the operation, inspection, maintenance and repair of essential public works facilities and operations, including roads and bridges, water and sewer, laboratories, fleet maintenance personnel, construction of critical or strategic infrastructure, traffic signal maintenance, emergency location services for buried utilities, and maintenance of digital systems infrastructure supporting public works operations. Critical or strategic infrastructure includes public works construction including construction of public schools, colleges and universities and construction of state facilities, including leased space, managed by the Division of Capital Asset Management; airport operations; water and sewer; gas, electrical, nuclear, oil refining and other critical energy services; roads and highways; public transportation; steam; solid waste and recycling collection and removal; and internet and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services)
- Workers who support infrastructure, such as by road and line clearing and utility relocation, to ensure the availability of and access to needed facilities, transportation, energy and communications.
- Workers performing housing construction related activities, including construction of mixed-use projects that include housing, to ensure additional units can be made available to combat the Commonwealth’s existing housing supply shortage.
- Workers supporting the construction of housing, including those supporting government functions related to the building and development process, such as inspections, permitting and plan review services that can be modified to protect the public health, including allowing qualified private third- party inspections accountable to government agencies).
COVID-19 Essential Services (Issued on 3/23/20)
- Workers to ensure continuity of building functions, including local and state inspectors and administrative support of inspection services who are responsible for the inspection of elevators, escalators, lifts, buildings, plumbing and gas fitting, electrical work, and other safety related professional work,
- Construction Workers who support the construction, operation, inspection, and maintenance of construction sites and construction projects (including housing construction)
AGC MA is currently reviewing the essential services list and the impact it may have on private construction work in the Commonwealth.
