Building Staff’ COVID An infection Price Amongst Highest, Examine Says| Staff Compensation Information

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 | 53 | 0 | min read

Construction workers appear to have some of the highest COVID-19 infection rates, a new study of coronavirus test results suggests.

The preliminary study by clinicians and a public health professor found that construction workers in the Los Angeles area had a 5.7% positive test rate among asymptomatic cases. That was significantly higher than the next higher group, the food service employees, who had a test rate of 3.8%.

In symptomatic cases, construction was 10.1%, followed by prison workers at a rate of 12.5%.

A study author and other workers ‘representatives have stated that many construction workers may come to work infected and some of them may not be covered by workers’ compensation insurance as required by law in most states.

“In the construction industry, people may still come to work when they have symptoms because some are not on paid sick leave,” said study co-author Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor at UCLA’s School of Public Health, according to a Los Angeles TV news report and Construction Dive’s news site.

The study looked at around 730,000 COVID-19 test results in Los Angeles between August and October. Klausner said construction companies should test workers twice a week to lower the rate of infection.