Federal guidelines recognize LBM as critical
The Department of Homeland Security weighed in on the question of what constitutes a critical or essential business during a time of extreme pandemic mitigation.
Building supply dealers made the cut. The status of hardware stores, though vague, appears to be included as critical, based on the list's inclusion of workers who maintain "essential operation of residences."
In a Memorandum of Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During Covid-19 Response, the department wrote: “If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”
Among those listed as critical are health care workers, public safety workers, and food and agriculture workers, including those who "support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood products."
The memorandum was quickly described by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association as a lobbying victory.
"We are pleased to see that the Administration, through DHS, has agreed with our association and included those who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, such as lumber, in their definition of essential critical infrastructure workers,” said Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA President & CEO.
For hardware stores, the memorandum is less clear-cut on the official status. The term "hardware" is not mentioned in the document, except in reference to IT work. Still, the guidelines describe as critical two categories that could be construed as hardware-store related.
The critical list includes "Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences." Also "workers to ensure continuity of building functions," are described as critical in a category labeled "other community-based government operations and essential functions."
Read the full document here.
When asked about the impact of the federal guidance on hardware stores, Randy Rusk, the director of communications for Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best Corp. said via email: "Our approach is to continue to operate our business as essential to the country, unless clarified otherwise."
The lengthy list of essential critical infrastructure workers was described the department as an initial recommended set. The department is encouraging feedback, and it says the list will evolve over time. Feedback can be sent to [email protected].
Building supply dealers made the cut. The status of hardware stores, though vague, appears to be included as critical, based on the list's inclusion of workers who maintain "essential operation of residences."
In a Memorandum of Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During Covid-19 Response, the department wrote: “If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”
Among those listed as critical are health care workers, public safety workers, and food and agriculture workers, including those who "support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood products."
The memorandum was quickly described by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association as a lobbying victory.
"We are pleased to see that the Administration, through DHS, has agreed with our association and included those who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, such as lumber, in their definition of essential critical infrastructure workers,” said Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA President & CEO.
For hardware stores, the memorandum is less clear-cut on the official status. The term "hardware" is not mentioned in the document, except in reference to IT work. Still, the guidelines describe as critical two categories that could be construed as hardware-store related.
The critical list includes "Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences." Also "workers to ensure continuity of building functions," are described as critical in a category labeled "other community-based government operations and essential functions."
Read the full document here.
When asked about the impact of the federal guidance on hardware stores, Randy Rusk, the director of communications for Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best Corp. said via email: "Our approach is to continue to operate our business as essential to the country, unless clarified otherwise."
The lengthy list of essential critical infrastructure workers was described the department as an initial recommended set. The department is encouraging feedback, and it says the list will evolve over time. Feedback can be sent to [email protected].