Clarified guidelines for Victorian builders and technicians
Metropolitan Melbourne has moved to Stage 4 Stay at Home restrictions to help slow the spread of Covid-19 in Victoria.
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Business Victoria has provided updated guidelines for construction businesses operating during the current Stage 4 restrictions in Victoria.
Construction
From 11:59 pm Friday 7 August, the following changes will need to be adopted by Victorian residential and large-scale construction sites.
All construction sites will:
• Have a High Risk COVID Safe Plan in place that is regularly updated. Where practicable COVID Safe Plans should be designed with input from employees and their representatives
• Allow no more than one worker per four square metres of enclosed workspace
• All employees, supervisors and on-site specialists will be:
• prohibited from car-pooling to and from work
• required to inform their employer if they share accommodation with anyone working at another high-risk workplace
• required to limit movement between multiple sites and observed enhanced PPE and hygiene measures if working between sites
The Victorian government has made further clarifications to Stage 4 restrictions as they relate to Renovations
• Trades people and builders can only visit a home for renovations if the homeowners have fully vacated the property and are not staying there during the period of Stage 4 restrictions.
• If homeowners have vacated the property, then renovations can proceed in line with restrictions on residential construction.
• If homeowners are still living at the property, then trades people and builders can only make emergency repairs.
Each small-scale residential construction site will:
• reduce the number of people of people on-site to five people plus a supervisor at any one time
• limit movement of workers between different sites where possible, and only with appropriate guidance
• supervisors can move between sites and specialist trades can move between up to three sites per week, subject to enhanced COVID safe practices
What documentation is required?
Specified worksite operators will be required to declare in an attachment to their COVID Safe Plan:
• the location and nature of the activities undertaken at sites intended to continue restricted operations;
• the peak workforce capacity levels calculated for each site and the time period used to establish these levels;
• the restricted workforce levels proposed for each site during the restriction period calculated in compliance with the order; and
• that the operator will retain and agrees to make available for inspection the business records and calculations used to establish the restricted workforce levels and demonstrate compliance with those restricted workforce levels through the period to which the restriction apply.
Compliance and enforcement
Government is introducing a specified worksite reporting regime supported by independent compliance reviews and site inspections. The process is being established to ensure the specified worksites comply with the intent of the order and can provide independently verifiable evidence of their compliance during and after the restriction period.
For more information and what you need to know.
Pool and Spa Service Technicians
The Guide for Business has been updated and provides different criteria which include the following examples:
Retail trade (goods)
Attendance on site at other retail outlets for the purposes of fulfilling online orders
Other services
• Urgent/emergency residential repair and maintenance
• Automotive, machinery and equipment repair and maintenance are permitted to operate where providing support to a permitted service or industry or where required to maintain the health and safety of Victorians at home or at work
Administrative and support services
Building and grounds maintenance, cleaning, pest control and packaging where providing support to an essential industry or where required to maintain the health and safety of Victorians at home or at work
