PORT ANGELES – Thousands of construction workers got the go-ahead to get back to work Friday when Gov. Inslee announced a plan to allow what he termed “low risk construction” to resume as soon as he signs the order, which may be today.

A set of guidelines has been released for contractors and their workers to follow that include measures such as maintaining 6-foot social distancing, having soap and running water readily available on all job sites, and a designated site manager who will ensure that precautions are being followed, among other things.

Phase 1 of the construction restart allows for existing building projects to resume, but no new permits will be approved for the time being.

The guidelines are the result of an appointed work group made up of leaders in the building trades and government and health officials that have been working on it for some time.

Earlier this month, over 1,200 contractors and workers signed personal pledges and delivered them to Inslee in which they vowed to comply with the requirements.

Industry officials say they are losing $23 million every day in family-wage jobs as a result of the construction industry shutdown, which translates to $690 million in lost wages.