Skip to content
NAPA Research & Education Foundation
Asphalt Pavement Alliance
Climate
Careers
Contact
Looking for technical info?
Hey NAPA can help!
Home
Expertise
Environment, Health & Safety
Health & Safety
COVID-19
Additional Best Practices for the Asphalt Industry

Additional Best Practices for the Asphalt Industry

Listed below are some additional suggested practices and recommendations compiled from industry submissions, government agencies, and other trade associations. Consider implementing to minimize contracting or transmitting COVID-19, in addition to those recommendations listed above and in the downloadable Exposure Preparedness and Response Plan. These will be updated and/or revised as needed:

General Recommendations

Social Distancing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Maintain 6-foot social distancing as much as possible, do not shake hands, and do not congregate.

  • Wear a face-covering like a bandana or a scarf, especially when working in close quarters. Additional Respiratory Protection during COVID-19 for Road Construction Workers' guidance.

  • Minimize or eliminate face-to-face training and meetings.

  • Minimize or eliminate visitation with non-essential individuals.

  • Minimize or eliminate employee ride-sharing. If necessary, ensure no more than two individuals per vehicle. Ensure adequate ventilation, preferably fresh air, during the vehicular transportation of employees.

  • Do not share PPE.

  • Sanitize reusable PPE per manufacturer’s recommendation prior to each use.

  • Utilize disposable gloves where appropriate; wash hands after removing gloves.

  • Consider changing clothes prior to arriving home. Keep soiled clothing separate and wash in hot water with laundry sanitizer.

  • Segregate delivery personnel from plant personnel.

  • In lieu of using a common source of drinking water, consider individual water bottles

  • Consider utilizing portable hand washing/sanitizing stations.

Tools, Supplies, Equipment

  • Minimize or eliminate sharing of hand tools (shovels, floats, loots, hand saws, etc.)
  • Use disposable hand towels.
  • Clean/disinfect potentially touchable surfaces on equipment, trucks, pickups etc., before and after shifts by the operators.
  • Disinfect reusable supplies before and after use.
  • Attempt to use/drive the same truck, piece of equipment, or tool; ensure it is disinfected after use.
  • Clean surfaces of construction equipment (pavers, end loader, rollers, cranes, etc.) and service/fleet vehicles including steering wheel, gear shift, instrument panels, etc. at the beginning and end of shifts. Use aerosol sanitizers inside closed cabs.

Documentation / Weigh tickets

  • Minimize or eliminate the sharing of pens.
  • Minimize or eliminate the transfer of paper tickets or cash. Be careful of using electronic payment tools and ensure the surface is clean or disinfected.
  • Utilize e-ticketing if possible. A state-by-state listing of e-ticketing use.
  • If allowed, submit required documentation (inspections, certifications, invoices, prevailing wage reports, etc.) electronically.
  • Request third-party haulers to remain in their vehicles, if possible.
  • Use a clear plastic sleeve to receive paper material tickets and attach the plastic sleeve to paver after each receipt.
  • For documents requiring paper copies or wet signatures, utilize drop boxes or other non-contact means to transfer paperwork between Contractor and Owner.

Documenting Hazard Mitigation Strategies

  • Ensure daily that employees are not symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19 (This needs to be conducted by an authorized representative, e.g., HR).
  • Develop a company policy for requiring employees to stay home or self-quarantine.
  • Consider developing an Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan: OSHA has recommended classifying a worker’s exposure to COVID-19 based on a worker’s or the employment type risk factor. For example, office workers, individuals directly interacting with others or groups, high-risk individuals, etc. Examples are available on the Internet for municipalities. See Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19, starting on p. 7.

Want more information?