Greater Sydney lockdown extended to August 28; some construction and cleaning resumes

UPDATE (29/7):

NEWLY RELEASED NSW PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS PROVIDE GREATER CLARITY - 29/7/21

The NSW Government has now released the new Health Orders overnight which outlines what restrictions apply in different settings. The summary of the Health Orders has been drafted using plain English and covers relevant industry related information.

The below is also available on the Coronavirus Support Hub. The table on the page can be used as a quick reference guide and further details are provided on the links.

CONSTRUCTION SITE DEFINITION

The definition of a Construction Site in the Health Orders means a place at which work, including related excavation, is being carried out to erect, demolish, extend or alter a building or structure, or at which civil works are being carried out, but not work carried out in relation to a dwelling in which a person is residing.

CONSTRUCTION SITES

Construction and renovation sites in Greater Sydney will be permitted to reopen from Saturday 31 July except for sites in the following Local Government Areas (LGAs)

AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS

• Blacktown

• Campbelltown

• Canterbury-Bankstown

• Cumberland

• Fairfield

• Georges River

• Liverpool

• Parramatta

Construction and renovation worksites within the eight restricted LGAs must remain closed during these restrictions and workers who live within the affected LGAs are not permitted to leave their LGA to undertake construction work.

AUTHORISED WORKER RESTRICTIONS FOR AFFECTED LGAs

The NSW Government has put new restrictions in place for a number of Local Government Areas (LGAs). This means residents cannot leave the LGA that you live in for work unless they are an authorised worker.

CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY CHAIN

Businesses in those LGAs which are part of the construction supply chain will be permitted to operate. Construction supply chain workers will be added to the authorised workers list and will be allowed to leave their local area for work, subject to meeting COVID-19 surveillance testing requirements. This includes workers engaged in manufacturing of construction materials, plant and components.

CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION RESTRICTIONS (occupied sites)

• Trades may only visit a maximum of five different sites per week.

All workers must remain separated (contactless) from all residents when on the worksite.

• Only one trade team may be on-site at any one time.

• For external work a maximum of five workers may be on the worksite at any one time and for internal areas a maximum of two workers is permitted at any one time.

• These trade limits do not apply to specific roles that are on the worksite for fairly short periods of time. This includes but is not limited to project managers, site supervisors, certifiers and engineers and specialist tradespeople working on their own.

Note: Works in occupied premises including residential homes can also resume from the 29th July where there is zero contact between workers and residents. There will be a limit of up to two workers for indoor services and five workers for outdoor services, and works will only be possible where it is feasible for residents to vacate the area. If contactless arrangements are not possible, work cannot go ahead.

CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION RESTRICTIONS (unoccupied sites)

• Trades may only attend a maximum of five different sites per week.

• Only one trade team may be on-site at any one time. E.g. Excavators and Steel Fixers are not permitted on the worksite at the same time.

PREPARATORY WORK

All construction and renovation sites can reopen (where they are permitted to reopen) and preparatory work for such sites can commence from the 29 July. Preparatory work means preparing a site for works to commence on the 31 July.

Work required to prepare for the commencement or recommencement of construction work on a construction site, including the following work, may be carried out—

1. checking or maintaining installations or equipment,

2. cleaning, waste removal or waste management,

3. stocktaking or restocking,

4. delivery of materials or equipment,

5. servicing or installation of amenities,

6. relocation on the construction site of plant or equipment,

7. issuing permits or certificates,

8. establishing arrangements or procedures to help protect persons from COVID-19,

9. erecting fencing or hoarding,

10. inspections, including for—

11. technical reasons, or

12. safety, including work health and safety, or

13. for valuations or other financial reasons,

14. removing water,

15. connecting power, fuel or services,

16. safety work, including work related to—

17. fire safety, or

18. electrical safety,

19. surveying or marking out,

20. training required to be carried out on the construction site

Note: The above preparatory work does not apply to a construction site in the following local government areas: Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool and Parramatta.

EXTENDED CONSTRUCTION TRADING HOURS

The government has announced that as part of our plan to reopen construction, worksites will be able to operate on Sundays and public holidays for the remainder of the year, up until Christmas, to make up for any time lost.

TRADESPEOPLE & CLEANING

Trades people, including cleaners who are able to work with zero contact with residents will also be allowed to resume (no more than two people inside and five outside). If contactless arrangements are not possible, work cannot go ahead.

This group of people would include Service, Maintenance and Repairs, Cleaning, pool inspection services and other activities where they can be undertaken contact free.

No more than two people inside and five outside!

Note: This work will not be allowed in the eight LGAs of concern, nor will workers be allowed to leave these areas.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

The current restrictions do not apply to roles that involve essentially short and contactless visits to worksites, such as supervisors, certifiers and other professional services such as engineers and surveyors.

RETAIL

Some retailers (including pool shops) in the affected LGAs must continue to stay closed to the public.

“Click and collect” and home delivery: Businesses may continue to operate if hey provide goods and services to customers that are

• ordered by phone or internet

• delivered to customers

• collected by customers

A 'click and collect' service can also be used by customers to return or exchange goods by prior arrangement either by phone or internet.

CARPOOLING

Workers should only carpool if it is absolutely necessary as a function of carrying out their work duties. Masks must be worn.

TESTING OF WORKERS FROM AFFECTED AREAS

Affected workers must not enter premises for work in a local government area outside the local government area in which the affected worker resides or is staying, unless the affected worker—

• has, within the preceding 72 hours, been tested for COVID-19, and

• has evidence of the test available for inspection on request by an employer or occupier of the premises or a police officer.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• All construction and renovation sites must have a COVID Safety Plan in place. A checklist will be provided shortly by the NSW Government that must be used for each project.

• Masks must be always worn, both indoors and outdoors.

• The 1 person per 4 metre rule continues to apply (wherever possible).

• A COVID marshal must be appoint for each project.

• Contactless deliveries are permitted to worksites

• All worksites must have a register of all tradespeople and delivery drivers who have attended. This can be done by using he Service NSW COVID Safe Check-in QR code.

WORKING FROM HOME

An employer must allow an employee to work at the employee’s place of residence if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Expanded business support payments

The JobSaver program will also be expanded to increase eligibility for businesses and increase coverage of employees.

The business support payment will be available to entities with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $250 million who can demonstrate a 30 per cent decline in turnover compared to the equivalent two-week period in 2019. The turnover threshold has been increased from a previous cap of $50 million.

To receive the payment, eligible entities will be required to maintain their full-time, part-time and long-term casual staffing level as of 13 July 2021.

Eligible entities will receive payments of between $1500 and $100,000 per week based on the level of their payroll, increased from $10,000 per week. For newly eligible businesses, payments will be backdated to begin at the beginning of this week.

For non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, the payment will be set at $1000 per week.

• Read Prime Ministers Statement regarding additional Funding

• Businesses can register their interest and apply at www.service.nsw.gov.au

Check the Coronavirus Support Hub for industry information on covid restrictions across Australia and New Zealand.