COVID-19 and GETTING BACK TO WORK
COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind right now. A pandemic is not to be taken lightly and therefore getting back to work and starting up the business again is a priority.
All companies will need to think even harder about the OHS Act as the OHS Hazards and Risks now include a virus, a biological hazard we did not have to deal with before, and one that has caused a pandemic with devastating economic consequences. Special care will need to be taken when assessing the risks and the preventative measures to be put in place. COVID-19 may be new to us but dealing with this virus will form part of our lives in future as we re-plan our futures.
Day to Day business will have one main risk, the virus getting into our workplace. This risk has two main causes:
- Employees
- Visitors
Both employees and visitors are possible carriers of the virus into a workplace.
This risk has consequences too:
Firstly, if an infected person is allowed entrance, unknowingly, every area he/she has been to or through can now be classified as infected and therefore a no-go zone until mass sanitisation has taken place. This is no good for a business and normal business procedures. Secondly, if an infected person is allowed entrance, KNOWINGLY, not only is the above true but it is illegal, and the employer can face prosecution. Lastly, if the virus should spread throughout a business, mass quarantine could take place. This means the workforce out of work. And not in a “Work-from-home” kind of way, in a “hospitalization-with-no-internet-connection” kind of way.
The above consequences can and will put massive financial burdens onto a company. No employer wants this.
This new element may seem daunting as the risk is so high, but with Gintan Luthuli Associates we can take a lot of this pressure away from you. We have multiple products that can assist:
- Our DIY OHS TOOLKIT that allows you to purchase online and download all necessary documents.
- Our general OHS Services, which entail meetings (SKYPE and SIMILAR will be used due to the current circumstances) and telephonic and email assistance, Gap Analysis and Risk Assessments can be done remotely.
- Our Online OHS System is the recommended option as it allows remote access for all parties to a cloud-based system. Which means that no meetings need to happen and if they do a phone call or video conference will suffice. This system not only allows for us to monitor your OHS system remotely but allows for the company to send out and receive documentation straight into/out of the system. No need for printing or hand delivery of safety files.