LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Friday that will allow certain types of workplaces to re-open.
This order will allow workers in low-risk industries to go back to work starting at 12:01 on May 7. This includes:
- Construction industry, including workers in the building trades, like plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians and similar workers.
- Real estate, including agents, appraisers, brokers, inspectors, surveyors, and registers of deeds
- Any showings, inspections, appraisals, photography or videography, or final walk-throughs are required to be performed by appointment and must be limited to no more than four people on the premises at one time.
- Private showings may only be arranged for owner-occupied homes, vacant homes, vacant land, commercial property and industrial property
- Workers for moving or storage operation.
- Workers who perform jobs primarily outside, including forestry workers, outdoor power equipment technicians, parking enforcement workers, and similar workers.
- Workers who are necessary to manufacture goods that support workplace modification to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Michigan's stay at home order remains in place until May 15, but the governor has already allowed the landscaping and lawn care industries to reopen.
"As part of our MI Safe Start Plan, we are bringing business and labor leaders together to ensure that while we lift some restrictions on the previous Stay Home, Stay Safe order, we are also protecting workers and their families from the spread of this virus. I want to be clear: we must all continue to stay home and stay safe as much as possible. If we all keep doing our part, we can reduce the risk of a second wave and re-engage our economy safely and responsibly," said Whitmer.
Businesses that reopen for in-person work are required to develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan. They also need to restrict the number of workers who are on the premises to only those that are necessary and social distancing must be maintained between employees.
Construction sites are required to develop best practices to protect their workers from infection. This includes:
- Designating a site supervisor to enforce COVID-19 strategies
- Conducting daily health screenings
- Creating dedicated entry points to ensure employees are screened every day
- Identify high-traffic areas like hallways, etc. and control them to enable social distancing
- Ensuring sufficient hand-washing or sanitizing stations at the worksite
"We are grateful for the governor’s commitment to protecting working people and their families from the spread of COVID-19,” said Pat Devlin, Secretary Treasurer of the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. “Our dedicated building tradesmen and women are ready to get back to work, and we’re glad the governor has taken steps today to help ensure their safety. We are excited to continue working with Governor Whitmer as she continues to take action on behalf of working families.”
Whitmer has said reopening will go slowly, but low-risk industries will open first under the MI Safe Start plan. Restaurants and bars are to remain closed until May 28.
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