More detail on working at Alert Level 3 released

Yesterday the NZ Government announced the guidelines for working at Alert Level 3. The biggest change for us in the residential construction industry is that work will no longer be limited to essential but will also include work that can be done safely. 

We will know more about the dates on Monday following the Government’s next press release, but the very earliest we could be back to work is Thursday 23rd April.  This is great news for most of us, however, there are a new set of requirements which must be met in order to carry out work safely. These guidelines came through over night and we have summarised this for you below. Early next week we will share more details on how your HazardCo system will support this for you. 

Before arriving on site

• Review and update your Site Specific Safety Plan
• Ensure you have a COVID-19 specific risk mitigation plan
• Re-induct all workers to include COVID-19 
• Conduct a toolbox meeting (over video) to update everyone on your plan

Site entry

• Ensure your site is secure and you have clear signage at all entries, including signage outlining your commitment to maintaining COVID-19 controls
• All workers, delivery staff and visitors must sign into site and record their previous destination
• Ensure you provide wash stations, hand sanitiser and appropriate PPE 

Leaving site

• All workers, delivery staff and visitors must sign off site and record their next destination
• All workers to thoroughly wash hands upon leaving the site
• Make sure everyone acknowledges their responsibility to let you know if they suspect they may have contracted COVID-19

Manage daily operations

Working on site each day:

• Maintain a physical distance of 2 metres
• Once everyone’s on-site, you cannot leave and re-enter, so bring enough food and drink.
• Review the COVID controls each week with everyone onsite
• Make sure people aren’t sharing tools, otherwise disinfect tools and surfaces between people
• Everyone disposes of their own rubbish (incl cigarette butts)

Cleaning:

• Make sure you have alcohol based hand sanitisers available
• Disinfect all high touch areas daily
• Toilets need to be 2 metres apart

Visitors:

• Essential people on site only
• All other visitors must follow site entry guidelines
• Designate one worker to manage any visitor requirements
• Ensure visitors don’t touch anything on site

Deliveries:

• All deliveries need to be contactless
• Ensure suppliers and delivery companies also have a COVID-19 specific plan
• Do not take delivery of paperwork, take a photo instead
• If you need to conduct a 2 person lift make sure not to mix bubbles, either 2 site workers or 2 delivery people

Although this information may seem overwhelming, rest assured that as a HazardCo member, we are here to help.

Your HazardCo membership already includes a great amount of value which can help you to work safely in a COVID-19 world. We’ve already made changes to our mobile App, your SSSP, your Policy and Procedures and we are creating a COVID Level 3 specific Task Analysis . But we’re not stopping there. 

In order to meet all of the requirements listed above, we are working around the clock on new features, and products so you have everything you need, to help make going back to work as simple as possible. 

We’ll be back in touch with you early next week with more detail on these changes and additions so when Alert Level 3 is announced, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running. 

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about any of the information above, please give us a call on 0800 555 339 and our team will be more than happy to help you. As you would expect, we are currently dealing with a high demand of enquiries currently so there may be a small delay in our response.