What are my legal requirements with regards to COVID Safety.
Your legal requirements as an employer in all states and territories is to provide and maintain a workplace that is safe and does not cause harm to your personnel. This will now include preventing the exposure to COVID 19. All employers will be required to evaluate the risks and implement controls to prevent their employees being exposed to COVID 19. Safe Work Australia has published guidelines on how to do this. The way you implement the controls will need to be determined by each employer based on the type or work they undertake and the way the workplace is structured.
PL Solutions are able to assist and advise on what you need to do as an employee to keep your personnel safe and develop a COVID Safety Plan specific to your needs
COVID Safety Management plans
PL Solutions can develop a COVID Safety Management plan that is designed to suit the individual needs of your business now, and in the future. The plans will outline the requirements to be in place at every stage of restrictions, based on the COVID 19 Health Risk and what controls will be necessary to manage the risk in your workplace.
All workplaces and Offices in particular will require some controls to be in place and will need to consider at a minimum;
- Office capacity and space in consideration of the 1 person to 4sqm guidelines
- How to maintain the 1.5m distancing requirements
- How shared spaces like kitchens and bathrooms will be managed
- Lift restrictions in high rise buildings
- How personnel attend the office – is use of public transport an issue?
- If you have end of trip amenities can they still be used?
- What hygiene processes are currently in place?
- How often is cleaning undertaken in particular for frequently touched surfaces, like door handles, stair rails, photocopiers etc
- What is the Incident response process in the event that a worker reports potential or confirmed exposure to COVID 19
- What is your ongoing business continuity processes.
- If personnel are working from home how are you keeping them safe from injury at home – ergonomic considerations.
PL Solutions are able to assist with design, and implementation of a plan that will keep your business functioning whilst protecting your personnel.
Implementing workplace COVID Safety Requirements
What ever controls you decide upon there will be an implementation phase, this may include;
- New Signage
- New hygiene rules – hand wash stations
- New distancing rules
- New shift patterns, or staggered start and stop times
- New thermal checks – temperature checking
Any new changes will need to be implemented and then communicated to your personnel.
PL Solutions are able to assist with training and awareness as well as guidance on best way to implement your COVID 19 Safety Controls in an efficient manner.
MORE SERVICES
PL Solutions offers a wide range of HSE services ranging from ongoing services, project based consulting, management system development services, regulatory consents and approvals and general OHS advice.
Service agreements can be based on placement of personnel into your organisation on short term/long term contracts on a part time or project based timeline. Our personnel can also provide services from outside your organisation on an as needs basis. PL Solutions Health and Safety Consultants can tailor a package specific to your needs.