We’ll soon be moving out of Alert Level 4 and in preparation for this employers need to start preparing for a safe return to work.
Worksafe have prepared some guidance for businesses on transitioning from Level 4, including information about the Covid-19 safety plan that all businesses that resume operations need to have in place. Find out more on the Worksafe website here.
We encourage you to review the broad guidelines from WorkSafe and start thinking about they are going to manage health and safety in your business. We are currently working on guidelines that will be more specific to our industry and these will be available for members soon.
Under alert level 3 hospitality businesses can reopen to provide contactless delivery and takeaways, however you won’t be able to have customers come into your premises until Alert Level 2 is in place (around 2 weeks after we’ve transitioned to Level 3). If you open, however, you must take health and safety measures to keep your workers safe.
What do you need to consider if you plan to reopen at Level 3?
It is vital you plan now for resuming operations and maintaining good health and safety practices – not only to prevent COVID-19 transmission but also to ensure the return to work doesn’t result in people being injured or killed from other work-related risks.
Before you reopen members should self-assess your ability to operate safely at alert level 3. This includes thinking about how you’re going to manage risks and protect workers and customers under alert level 3.
Employers need to document their thinking in a COVID-19 safety plan and share that plan with their workers. It’s important to note that employers should be involving workers when assessing risks and identifying solutions.
More information about what’s needed in the plan is available on Worksafe’s COVID-19 safety plan page.
You can also find more information about what a return to alert level 3 will look like on the Covid19 website.
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