Returning Your Workforce Back To Work Safely

The South Australian Business Chamber Today — 3 February, 2022
Like us here at the South Australian Business Chamber, many South Australian businesses would have welcomed the South Australian Government’s recent announcements encouraging a phased return of workers back into the workplace, reducing density requirements and removing mandatory QR check-ins for some industries.

With the return of workers to the workplace, it’s important for South Australian businesses and workers not to become complacent about COVID-19 safety and infection control strategies and more generally work together to safely transition workers back to the workplace.

Employers have a legal obligation under the Work Health and Safety Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers and others at the workplace, including providing and maintaining a work environment that is without risks to health and safety.

Businesses need to identify hazards at the workplace and the associated risks and do what is reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks. If you cannot stop the risks entirely, then minimise them. Businesses must keep updated with the latest COVID-19 information and advice to ensure that any action taken is assessed and appropriate.

Every workplace is different, but here are some actions that you should consider:

• reviewing and promoting your organisation’s policies and measures for infection control
• following advice from SA Health, provide guidance to workers if they become unwell or think that they may have symptoms of COVID-19
• ensuring workers are aware of the isolation/​quarantine periods per advice from SA Health
• ensuring heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are well-maintained and operating properly
• providing regular updates to workers about the situation and any changes to organisational policies or procedures
• contingency planning to manage staff absences
• providing workers with information and links to relevant services should they require support.

The South Australian Business Chamber has been working with many businesses to help them implement simple tools and strategies to ensure we keep moving in the right direction. Contact our Business Advice Hotline today on 8300 0000, and our workplace specialists can help you.