Workplace Health and Safety in the Wake of COVID-19 - Australian Welding, June 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on health and safety practices in the workplace across almost all industries, including welding and fabrication. While some restrictions may be beginning to ease, the threat of the pandemic remains. As such, Work Health and Safety laws still necessitate that employers take precautions to care for the health, safety and welfare of workers in order to prevent infection and spread of the virus.

Work Health and Safety (WHS) require employers to take care of the health, safety and welfare of their workers, including staff, contractors and volunteers, and other people who may visit the workplace, such as clients and suppliers.

In particular, WHS laws dictate that employers must:

• Provide and maintain a work environment that is free from risks to health and safety

• Provide facilities that are adequate and accessible for workers’ welfare, so that they may carry out their work

• Monitor the health of workers, as well as the conditions of the workplace, in order to prevent injury or illness

According to Safe Work Australia, employers must, within what is reasonably practicable, take all possible precautions to eliminate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 to help ensure the health and safety of workers. If the complete elimination of the risk is not possible, the risk must be minimised as much as is reasonably practicable.

Employers can help protect workers from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by, for example:

• Arranging for staff to work from home if possible

• Enforcing physical distancing practices between workers where possible

• Enforcing good hygiene practices for workers, for example through workplace policies and ensuring that there is access to hygiene facilities that are well stocked and adequate

• Ensuring that workers who are sick or display any symptoms are required to stay at home

• Thorough and regular cleaning and disinfecting of the workplace

Duty to Other People in the Workplace

Employers must also ensure the work of their business does not put the health and safety of other people (such as customers, clients and visitors) at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Employers can help protect others from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by, for example:

• Ensuring physical distancing for visitors to the workplace, through measures such as contactless payments and deliveries

• Requiring non-essential patrons, such as family, friends or visitors, to stay away from the workplace

• Limiting the number of people in the workplace at a given time, in accordance with the size of the workplace

Additionally, WHS laws require employers to provide necessary information and training to workers to help them mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spread and exposure.

Training and information provided may include:

• Posters or diagrams that provide guidance regarding how to properly wash hands

• Training that demonstrates to workers how to properly fit and wear any necessary personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Training workers on how to properly clean and disinfect the workplace throughout the day

• Providing instructions to workers, who are working from home, on how to set up a safe at-home workplace

Additionally, employers must consult with their workers regarding health and safety matters related to COVID-19, allowing them to raise any WHS concerns and taking these views into account. Consultation with workers is required when:

• Conducting a risk assessment

• Making decisions regarding control measures for risk management of COVID-19

• Making decisions about workplace facilities and their adequacy for COVID-19 control measures

• Proposing any kind of changes that may affect the health and safety of workers

• Changing procedures that affect the WHS of workers

Similarly, workers should take reasonable care to not compromise their health and safety, or the health and safety of others, by following workplace procedures and instructions and reporting any unsafe or unhealthy situations.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is anything that can be worn to minimise risks to workers’ health and safety. In the case of COVID-19, PPE is used to prevent the spread and contraction of the virus and should be used to supplement other control measures, such as good hygiene practices, physical distancing, and regular and thorough cleaning of the workplace.

PPE that can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 includes masks, gloves, eye protection and screens. Some masks, gowns and disposable suits are restricted to healthcare settings and so are not applicable for use in welding industry workplaces.

Anyone with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 should not be in the workplace. If someone is displaying COVID-19 symptoms or has been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, then there is reasonable cause for concern.

If this occurs, employers should:

1. Isolate the person and provide them with appropriate PPE.

2. If the person is displaying serious symptoms that require immediate medical attention, call 000. If not, seek advice via your state or territory COVID-19 hotline.

3. Confirm with the affected person who they have been in contact with in the workplace, and in which areas they have spent time.

4. Ensure that the person has a means of transport home.

Where possible, this mode of transport should be private to minimise others’ exposure. If the person needs to take public transport, they should take precautions to minimise contact with others.

5. Any areas in the workplace in which the person may have spent time should be closed off until they have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Where possible, doors and windows should be opened to increase airflow.

6. Anyone that has been in close contact with the affected person should be identified and told that they may have been exposed to COVID-19, and that they should quarantine.

7. Review risk management controls, with workers and representatives consulted, on whether changes or additional precautions are required.

If the suspected COVID-19 case is confirmed, the workplace will be contacted by the state or territory public health unit regarding further steps and instructions relating to quarantine requirements.