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NEW YORK CITY- Tower Holdings Group, a development and construction firm headquartered in New York City, is coordinating with its subcontractors to lower the risk of infection at its project sites throughout the city, which have already seen a reduced number of staff, Iryna Suhnaska, executive vice president at Tower Holdings, tells GlobeSt.com.

In regards to the firm's subcontracting businesses Alubuild USA and HDK Construction, the respective project management personnel continue to communicate with the respective general contractors and construction managers to obtain policies for maintaining a safe project site, for their reporting procedures for job sites and to coordinate policies and procedures with the respective project general contractors and owners as they become available. Additionally, Tower Holdings is in communication with supply vendors to monitor and mitigate any potential disruptions, Suhnaska said. 

Some of the steps have taken to ensure its subcontractors comply with the firm's general policies during the coronavirus pandemic, include the below:

• Our construction management/general contracting company, Time Square Construction, has put in place a COVID-19 Project Policy and reporting procedures for its respective active projects. 

• Regular communications are being sent to all employees updating them on the best practices to hinder the spread of the virus, informing them of any new company policies that have been implemented, and providing any other necessary information. 

• Tower Holdings continues to work closely with its professional consultants in developing further procedures and policies, to monitor and interpret the new state and federal laws being enacted to ensure compliance with new laws. 

Tower project sites continue to be staffed to support field work, within the guidelines and restrictions that are being updated by the general contractors, local, state and federal governments. Project managers and superintendents are communicating with project team members and the office to ensure all necessary parties are informed regarding daily coordination.

"Most job sites are operating with smaller crews, however we are not aware of any jobs being shut down over labor deficit as of yet," Suhnaska said. "Majority of contractors are reviewing their insurance policies and contracts for force majeure clauses and other applicable schedule relief, and reserving their rights under those contractual terms."

 As the state of the pandemic continues, supply chains are expected to be impacted if identified cases continue to rise as well as government mandates for quarantine and other restrictions. 

One of the major concerns for Tower Holdings is materials coming from abroad and from other states because government mandates vary, and concerns over factory and trucking shutdowns are still being actively discussed. However, as of yet, they have not seen any suppliers close business operations, according to Suhnaska.