Tampa hires nurses to check COVID-19 safety at construction sites

TAMPA, Fla. - Emergency room nurse Brian Masters is often busy saving lives at hospitals and, these days, at construction sites too.

"We want to make sure that everybody is staying safe and socially distant so we don’t transmit the disease any further,” said Masters.

He is one of several nurse inspectors doing spot checks at 52 construction sites. The city of Tampa has hired the medical team to keep workers safe while preventing the spread of COVID-19.

"Some construction workers live together so you especially want to know if they have a positive case if they live with anybody else and quarantine the whole group,” explained Masters.

Every morning, workers form a socially distant line to get their temperatures checked before entering the worksite.

It's Masters' job to make the rounds. If he spots workers too close together, he reminds them to keep a safe distance.

Sprinkled throughout the job site are portable handwashing stations.

Ovidio Mendoza knows the drill.

"You gotta stay safe for yourself, for everybody,” said Mendoza.

While construction projects forge ahead through the pandemic, Masters and other nurses are there to keep workers safe from an invisible danger.

If you feel sick:

The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions around the clock. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.

LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website

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