Coronavirus prompts contracting company to refit New York businesses with sneeze guards
DGC Capital Contracting Corporation has installed 4,000+ sneeze guards in New York suburb, tristate area
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
As cities begin to ease coronavirus restrictions and allow businesses to reopen, companies are renovating interiors for the safety of employees and clients.
The DGC Capital Contracting Corporation has been installing protective sneeze guards in offices and retail spaces throughout suburbs such as Mount Vernon, Yonkers, New York City and various locations in the tri-state area.
CONSTRUCTION SPENDING EDGES UP IN MARCH, ESCAPING EARLY CORONAVIRUS IMPACTS
Credit: DGC Capital Contracting Corp
So far, the company has custom-cut and installed more than 4,000 sneeze guards.
“More people are going back to work. So, businesses have to figure out how they're going to separate people so they can take their mask off,” DGC Capital’s Vice President Giancarlo Lanzano told FOX Business.
In offices, Plexiglass is being installed at the top of cubicles and extends to ceilings while some communal areas are getting T-shaped Plexiglass sheets installed to keep employees separate.
NEW YORK ASSEMBLYWOMAN CALLS FOR CORONAVIRUS RULES TO EASE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
“We just hope it's the hope it's temporary because it's no way to interact with people,” Lanzano added. “But for the time being, some of our clients are developing temporary sneeze guards.”
Increased demand is also coming from department stores, pharmacies and sports arenas in addition to supermarket chains such as Stop and Shop and ShopRite.
Credit: DGC Capital Contracting Corp
Each business's Plexiglass needs are different, but Lanzano said a Plexiglass installation can cost between $300 and $500 per unit depending on the barrier’s size.
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS JOIN WAR ON CORONAVIRUS
“The challenging part right now is that Plexiglass is up 500, 600 percent. It's changing every day. And as companies run out of Plexiglass, people are starting to resort to tempered glass, which might be more of a permanent situation,” he explained while noting that the latter is a cheaper option. “Tempered glass requires more work to install, so the price of tempered glass starts to balance out.”
Before the coronavirus pandemic, DGC Capital was focused on building and remodeling supermarkets.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
“When the economy was going great and we had plenty of projects lined up, but we were able to sustain the work and just change what we were doing inside the stores,” Lanzano shared. “Right now we're currently remodeling Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers.”
Moreover, as an essential company, DGC Capital uses protective personal equipment at all times along with sanitizers and respirators.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
“Our priorities are our employees. Nobody wants to have somebody go to work and then come home and spread Covid-19 to their parents or grandparents. We like to think that we went above and beyond to protect our people,” Lanzano said. “We've been able to keep people working throughout this whole situation. That's very near and dear to us that we've been able to do that.”