Safe Work Australia has released a set of guidelines advising businesses and workplaces on how to manage the risks arising from the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Australia is continuing to closely monitor the ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. While the majority of confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported from Mainland China, cases have been reported in many other countries and regions, including Iran, Italy and South Korea.
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Australia. You can access the latest information on COVID-19 from the Australian Government Department of Health.
Currently in Australia, people most at risk of contracting the virus are people who have either been in a high-risk country or region recently, or been in close contact with someone who is a confirmed case of coronavirus.
Managing the risks from COVID-19
The model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws require a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers and others at the workplace. This includes providing and maintaining a work environment that is without risk to health and safety.
To comply with the model WHS laws, PCBUs must identify hazards at the workplace and the associated risks, and do what is reasonably practicable to eliminate those risks, or where this is not reasonably practicable, to minimise those risks.
Whether a control measure is reasonably practicable to implement involves consideration of what is able to be done to manage a risk and whether it is reasonable in the circumstances to do so. The likelihood of the risk occurring, the degree of harm that might result and the availability and suitability of a control measure are key considerations in determining what measures are reasonable. Further general guidance is available in the model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities.
Exposure to COVID-19 is a potential hazard for workers and other people at workplaces. PCBUs must have measures in place to protect worker health and safety and manage these risks.
PCBUs need to keep up to date with the latest COVID-19 information and advice to ensure that any action taken is measured and appropriate. This includes closely monitoring the Australian Government Department of Health, the Smartraveller website and any advice from state or territory government agencies.
Depending on the workplace, an appropriate range of actions may include:
- Closely monitoring official Government sources for current information and advice
- Reviewing and promoting your organisation’s policies and measures for infection control
- Ensuring workers are aware of the isolation/quarantine periods in accordance with advice from the Australian Government Department of Health.
- This includes information on when staff should not attend work
- Providing clear advice to workers about actions they should take if they become unwell or think they may have the symptoms of coronavirus, in accordance with advice from the Australian Government Department of Health and state or territory health department
- Eliminating or minimising international work travel, in line with the travel advice on the Australian Government’s Smartraveller website
- Providing regular updates to workers about the situation and any changes to organisational policies or procedures
- Contingency planning to manage staff absences
- Providing workers with information and links to relevant services should they require support.
Workers also have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to not adversely affect the health and safety of others. Workers should be reminded to always practice good hygiene and other measures to protect themselves and other against infection. This includes:
- Washing their hands often, with soap and water, or carrying hand sanitiser and using it as needed
- Covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing, but not using their hands to do so
- Seeing a health care professional if they start to feel unwell
- If unwell, avoiding contact with others (including shaking hands or other touching, such as hugging).
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-pcbus