Employers have a duty of care for the health and safety of workers, and others foreseeably at risk while conducting business, under Work Health & Safety (WHS) laws. In the current unprecedented times, WHS efforts are critical in keeping your employees and visitors safe from coronavirus (COVID-19) and to help protect your business.
With the World Health Organisation (WHO) having declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic, Australian employers need to ensure that they are taking active steps to monitor risk to employees and others. The majority of businesses will have already consulted with workers and particularly those who are more vulnerable or may be most impacted by COVID-19 from a WHS perspective. Below we summarise from key authorities, key questions and answers regarding WHS and COVID-19.
Identifying workers and others at risk or vulnerable?
The Australian Government Department of Health identifies that in Australia the following people are most at risk of serious infection:
- people with compromised immune systems (such as people who have cancer)
- elderly people
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (as they have higher rates of chronic illness)
- people with chronic medical conditions
- travellers who have recently returned from overseas
- those who have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
- people in group residential settings and
- people in detention facilities
What must you do if a worker contracts COVID-19 at work?
Safe Work Australia outlines the following WHS processes
- Identify the hazards. For example: Is the worker still at work? Were they at the workplace while they may have been infectious or have they been identified by a public health authority as a ‘close contact’?
- Assess the risks. For example: how much contact did the worker have with others or the workplace while possibly infectious?
- Control the risks. For example: If the infected worker had limited contact you may be able to evacuate that area, ensure it is deep cleaned, and send home workers who had contact with them in accordance with any health advice. If the worker had contact with several others or large parts of the workplace you may also need to direct all workers to self-isolate for 14 days.
- Review the control measures. You need to regularly review control measures to make sure they are working. For example, if other workers get sick this may mean your current control measures are not working as intended.
- Consult with workers and other duty holders. It is important to consult with your workers at all stages of this process and keep in touch with workers who may be isolated away from the workplace. You must also consult with other duty holders (For example, other businesses you share communal spaces with).
What controls employers implement to manage risk of exposure to COVID-19?
The latest physical/social distancing measures are outlined by the Australian Government Department of Health.
As a result of these measures, a number of restrictions are now in place on the range of venues and activities that businesses may operate.
For businesses remain able to trade, you must implement appropriate controls to manage the risk of exposure to COVID-19. What each business can do to manage the risk will depend on your specific workplace and the work functions performed. The 3 key things it is recommended you do are:
- maintain good hygiene and cleanliness of the workplace
- implement physical/social distancing by keeping everyone in your workplace physically apart
- use Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) appropriately
Safe Work Australia acknowledges there is no one size fits all approach and therefore there may be other controls a business can implement to minimise the risk of infection.
What facilities and supplies do employers need to provide?
A business must also provide a work environment that is without risk to health and safety. This includes:
- providing access to facilities for good hygiene. This includes; adequate supply of soap, water and toilet paper
- making sure these are kept clean, properly stocked and in good working order
Safe Work also outlines given supply issues, that if the above supplies are not available, under the model WHS laws, you will not be required to provide them.
What should businesses do to keep the workplace clean?
- Businesses should already have in place regular, scheduled cleaning of your workplace
- In addition, businesses should now ensure any areas frequented by workers or others (e.g. visitors) are cleaned daily
- Frequently touched areas/surfaces should be cleaned several times a day. This includes; sinks, tapes, door knobs, elevator buttons, handrails, tables, reception areas, counter tops and Eftpos/Hicaps machines,etc.
Got a question or need help, please contact us to discuss.
For further information, please refer to:
Source: Safe Work Australia
Title: COVID-19
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