The City of Austin can now take workplaces to court if they have multiple violations of the city’s emergency rules designed to minimize the spread of Covid-19. Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott issued those emergency orders Tuesday evening. They allow the city to issue a fine of up to $2,000 or declare a workplace a “nuisance property” if there are violations.
Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden said if there are multiple 311 calls about one place or person, the city will respond and first try to get the site or person to voluntarily make changes and follow the rules.
She said, “Initially our goal is to get voluntary compliance. That is our hope for everyone.”
Hayden continued, “In the event things are not implemented, we will move forward and provide a citation to them and take those individuals to court.”
According to Austin Public Health, from June 25 to July 9, there were six Covid-19 clusters within the construction industry--meaning six sites had three or more cases.
Even before the newest orders went into effect this week, construction sites were already following safety measures. Scott Turner, owner of Riverside Homes and a member of the Austin Infill Coalition said wearing masks, staying six feet apart, and staggering shifts started in April.
“Our company limits it to one trade at a time, so we don’t want the plumber working right next to the electrician,” he said. “We want to make sure our subcontractors stay safe and follow the rules.”
