Caltrans suspended most roadside homeless camp cleanups on Monday, citing risks from coronavirus.

The department made the change after the International Union of Operating Engineers, a union representing maintenance workers tasked with the cleanups, filed a grievance last week.

“Families are concerned, their wives and children are concerned about them cleaning up the camps and bringing it home at the end of the day,” Steve Crouch, the union’s director of public employees, said after filing the grievance. “We figured we’d go a little bit on the offense here rather than on defense.”

The department clears up to 40 camps per day along the state’s highways and underpasses, with contractors performing some of the work.

Highway maintenance workers have complained the work, which can involve cleaning up human waste and other hazardous materials, falls outside their duties.

Monday’s suspension will apply for at least 30 days, when the policy will be revisited, according to Caltrans’ response to the grievance.

“Caltrans takes the health and safety of its employees very seriously and is monitoring and following all recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, CalHR and others,” Caltrans spokesman Christopher Clark said in an email. “Due to concerns over COVID-19 and to limit its potential spread among the homeless population, Caltrans is temporarily suspending encampment cleanups unless there is an immediate safety concern, but will continue to work with local partners to move individuals into safer situations as available.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday that homeless people are a top priority for the state in its coronavirus response. Newsom said the state would use private hotels and motels to shelter homeless people and would send 450 travel trailers around the state to use in the response.

The department will use hazmat contractors to perform the emergency cleanups, according to the department’s response to the grievance.

This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 9:58 AM with the headline "Caltrans suspends homeless camp cleanups amid coronavirus outbreak."