Prime Minister, Scott Morrison announced on 29 March that Stage 3 restrictions had come into effect. These new restrictions prohibit the indoor/outdoor gathering of more than two people.
Stage 3 restrictions apply to all non-essential gatherings. Exemptions include workplaces. No significant impacts have been imposed on the automotive industry with the exception of indoor/outdoor vehicle auctions, which are no longer allowed to take place, except online.
But this does not exempt businesses from reducing the risk of transmission of Coronavirus, as far as reasonably practical, by adhering to social distancing requirements and maintaining good hygiene practices in the workplace.
To help protect the safety of staff and customers against Coronavirus, business owners should consider:
- Daily consultations with employees on the Coronavirus situation and changes being made to reduce the risk of transmission in the workplace
- Staff wearing masks where two people need to be in close vicinity for short periods of time (i.e. team lift situations, two employees necessarily working on a vehicle at the same time, etc)
- Avoiding handshakes and other contact with employees and customers
- Strictly enforcing social distancing of 1.5 metres in all possible circumstances
- Displaying safety information to customers on Coronavirus in prominent areas in the workplace, such as at entry points, common areas, reception desks, etc
- Sanitising frequently touched office, kitchen, bathroom and workshop surfaces, such as door handles with a sanitising agent/solution
- Sanitising surfaces prior to working inside vehicles and before returning vehicles to customers
- Creating extra space in customer waiting areas by re-organising chairs and tables to ensure adhesion to social distancing requirements
- Encouraging customers to use non-contact means for payment (i.e. credit/debit card, instead of cash to help avoid contact)
- Providing additional hand sanitising stations for staff and customers to use when in the workplace
- Having staff working from home and conducting meetings remotely via telephone/video conferencing wherever possible.
All safety-related posters and useful links can be found on the VACC website.
For further information please contact VACC OHS&E Unit:
OHSE Unit
T: 03 9829 1265
Email OHSE Unit