WORK HEALTH & SAFETY

COVID-19 Risk Assessments and Building Re-occupation Services

Responsible employers are developing strategies for the re-occupation of buildings and the operation of those buildings using revised working practices.

Latest government guidance requires that all actions in respect of COVID-19 be founded on expert health advice and follow the National COVID-19 safe workplace principles. Workplaces have an obligation to implement appropriate strategies to manage the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and implement appropriate controls to address the risks using the hierarchy of control.

Businesses and workers must also make appropriate arrangements for the possibility of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the workplace and develop plans to respond if the scenario arises. 

EDP can provide COVID-19 risk assessments for your buildings and has developed a 5 Step methodology to demonstrate compliance and ensure that your workforce is suitably protected as follows:

EDP has also been at the forefront of managing the work health & safety (WHS) implications of COVID-19 and has built a suite of essential wider support packages for business to ensure that all relevant risks are considered and appropriately managed in order to enable effective business operation. Our support offerings include:

Preparing your buildings for reoccupation

• WHS management plan for reoccupation
• Review and update existing emergency plans to account for revised building operating models
• Updates to first aid risk assessments and systems
• Updates to existing task-based risk assessments to account for amended working practices
• Development of new task-based risk assessments for COVID-19 control systems (e.g. temperature screening at building points of entry or revised workstation configurations)
• Design of social distancing systems
• Develop a response plan to confirmed cases within the workplace

Ongoing management of business activities

• Employee support and training programmes to ensure that employees are aware of the measures in place within your business when they return to your buildings
• Revision of existing WHS management systems to ensure that they effectively take into account all relevant guidance
• Review current cleaning protocols and provide guidance in accordance with the Department of Health guidelines

Our experienced consultants will work with your business to provide practical, pragmatic guidance to ensure that your plans meet the necessary guidance as it evolves in these rapidly changing circumstances. It is vitally important to ensure that documented risk assessments are in place and EDP can provide a rapid route to compliance at a time when internal resource can be stretched. Call us today for a no obligation discussion about your COVID-19 management plans and allow EDP to add significant value to your business operations.