March 24, 2020

What do creative contractors and industrious construction workers do when they can’t source hand-washing stations for their job sites?

Patricia, a member of UA Local 324 and employee of Oceanview Mechanical, makes use of the hand-washing station she and her co-workers have repurposed.

They build their own!

That’s what’s happening at six condominium sites in Victoria, where workers from Oceanview Mechanical have built eight hand-washing stations that are key to helping stem the spread of COVID-19.

“We’ve set up laundry tubs with running water because, well, we’re plumbers,” says Mick Smith, co-owner of Oceanview Mechanical. “We’re doing all we can.”

Oceanview Mechanical’s 40 employees are members of the United Association Local 324.

In addition to repurposing laundry tubs into plumbed hand-washing stations, Oceanview Mechanical is following the recommendations of B.C.’s public health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry around social distancing.

“We have no more than one person working in a suite at a time,” said Smith. As well, the company has delayed installation of all one-piece bathtubs until the recommendations are lifted because installation is a two-person job.

Henry’s recommendations require social-distancing of two metres, along with frequent hand-washing and prescriptive cleaning.

Smith notes that everyone on site is co-operating with the recommendations, including the general contractors, which are providing soap for all the washing stations.

“We’re getting through this,” affirmed Smith.