Managing a Coronavirus-Related Project Shutdown
Revised from NSPE, Edited by Dr. Jesse A. Grantham, PE, Principal - Forensic Expert
When a hurricane or other disaster forces the closing of a jobsite, owners and contractors can be reasonably assured that, barring severe physical property damage, everyone will be back to work in a short while.
However, the Coronavirus pandemic has led contractors, material suppliers and industry vendors into uncharted waters. Construction companies, for example, in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville Massachusetts and to some degree, Pennsylvania, San Francisco, Austin TX and Travis County, TX, either are unsure about which projects must be closed or are looking at the duration of a moratorium. Consider that: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday morning announced that construction is "nonessential" work, effectively shutting down most projects statewide.