PA Counties locked down

[bogey1]

Senate Leaders Urge Governor to Classify Residential Construction As Essential

Governor Wolf’s order to close all non-essential businesses two weeks ago idled numerous construction projects throughout the state. Senate leaders wrote a letter to Governor Wolf this week encouraging him to reclassify residential construction activities as an essential business and allow these projects to resume – as long as social distancing protocols are followed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently classified residential construction as an essential business. Pennsylvania is the only state to shut down all active public and private construction sites as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. New Jersey, California, Illinois and New York have issued shelter-in-place orders, but provide an exemption for construction personnel and construction activities.

The letter from Senate leaders is available here. Several lawmakers have also announced plans to introduce a bill to allow construction activities to resume with the proper protections in place to protect workers. More information on that bill is available here.

Letter from the Senators to the Gov:
https://www.senatorbartolotta.com/wp...nstruction.pdf

Press release on the bill going to be put forth
https://www.pasenategop.com/blog/sen...tion-industry/

I posted in the other thread, we have a small pour tomorrow (sidewalk) What if someone
shuts us down mid pour, or before the truck shows up, who is going to pay for that?
The township issued me the permit, the job is ready to go and cant sit there for a month
opened up like that.
This is insane.

[ImminentDanger]

I have to bring one more fact to the table to help clarify this hysterical panic where the perception is fostered that the coronavirus kills on contact.

How many people are currently working (under the essential job categories)? Using the estimates from 2013 (here - https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits...rloughs/71122/), the government considers 43% of their workers essential. I'm sure it is now a higher percentage, but just for the point here, let's assume that means that 40% of combined government and civil employees across the board are working under the 'essential job' categories. We should probably throw a few more percent in there under the 'waiver' categories, but we won't.

Out of the 90% of PA workers that do not have the coronavirus, 40% are still working together in a functioning capacity without every 3rd person falling prey to this uncontrollable virus. Most of them still come home to their SO and kids every day and go to the food market, etc. - all after being exposed to others on the job.

Now what makes the remaining 50% of the workers in PA, who are under lockdown, 'too much at risk' or 'to much of a risk to others' to also go to their jobs?

Do the essential workers have some special immunity to getting or giving the virus? If having them work together is an acceptable risk, why can't the other 50% of the workers decide for themselves if creating and having jobs is 'too much risk'?

Can businesses send their employees home because they're sick, to prevent spreading it to others? Are the MOST VULNERABLE to the virus going to be forced to go to work?

Perhaps some government aid would be appropriate to those who have the virus (or are the MOST VULNERABLE) and are unable to work the job they have. I wouldn't object to that for a short period, if the rest of our economy was allowed to be functional.

...

[bogey1]

Do the essential workers have some special immunity to getting or giving the virus?
...

Yes, they are government. Seems I heard this before, just cant remember where/when.

[eatmydust]

Well, I guess we can now remove the word Counties from the thread title.

[PickingPA]

I posted in the other thread, we have a small pour tomorrow (sidewalk) What if someone
shuts us down mid pour, or before the truck shows up, who is going to pay for that?
The township issued me the permit, the job is ready to go and cant sit there for a month
opened up like that.
This is insane.

Since walking/running/hiking for outdoor exercise is specifically permitted under the stay at home order, and you are installing/repairing a section of sidewalk that would otherwise be left open creating a trip/fall hazard to the public and/or property owner(s), I hereby grant you a waiver to complete this necessary and emergency repair. Please observe and practice all CDC social distancing protocols and complete the task with expediency.

[bogey1]

Since walking/running/hiking for outdoor exercise is specifically permitted under the stay at home order, and you are installing/repairing a section of sidewalk that would otherwise be left open creating a trip/fall hazard to the public and/or property owner(s), I hereby grant you a waiver to complete this necessary and emergency repair. Please observe and practice all CDC social distancing protocols and complete the task with expediency.

Thank you, I;m printing this and leaving it in the truck.
As for the social distance thing, It'll be kind of hard
to pour concrete 6' from each other.
Can I get a exemption?

[PickingPA]

Thank you, I;m printing this and leaving it in the truck.
As for the social distance thing, It'll be kind of hard
to pour concrete 6' from each other.
Can I get a exemption?

Just like OSHA, they make the rules, it’s up to you to figure out how to be in compliance

[Delkal]

Expanding on the outdoors thing. What about the lawn /tree /landscape guys? Are their businesses shut down too? Usually it is just 2 of them, 3 max (and it is a good chance they are related or living in the same house). They do what they have to do outside away from everybody. Why is this less safe than working at Home Depot?

Everyones grass is waking up and rapidly growing........we will need to know in a couple weeks.

[PickingPA]

Expanding on the outdoors thing. What about the lawn /tree /landscape guys? Are their businesses shut down too? Usually it is just 2 of them, 3 max (and it is a good chance they are related or living in the same house). They do what they have to do outside away from everybody. Why is this less safe than working at Home Depot?

Everyones grass is waking up and rapidly growing........we will need to know in a couple weeks.

They were green lighted in Wolf’s 2nd or 3rd revision

[PAMedic=F|A=]

Yes, they are government. Seems I heard this before, just cant remember where/when.

Only government workers I’ve seen or even heard of showing up to work are the national guard guys and the postal service.

Army buddies of mine on active duty (and is army wtf moments) are reporting work from home, total lockdown, and completely absolutely mission essential functions only.

Schools? Closed. Teachers not at schools manning them as emergency shelters, as required in pens act of 1973.

State store workers? Doing their best to undermine Pennsylvania agriculture by not showing up and selling Pennsylvania wine or spirits.