Purpose and Scope
Under Health and Safety legislation*, employers have an obligation to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe for employees and contractors, as well as provide information on how to enable you to perform your work safely, and reduce exposure to risk.
This policy is in place to protect the health and safety of our employees and third party contractors both on our sites and at client sites and to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus.
This policy is subject to change at any time based on Government guidance and actions in the interest of the health and safety of staff and contractors.
Protocol
A 14 calendar day self-isolation period is required for anyone who has returned from overseas by any means of transport, and for anyone experiencing the following symptoms:
- Fever
- cough, sore throat, fatigue
- shortness of breath
If individuals are at the workplace and demonstrating signs and symptoms as above, they will be asked to go home immediately.
Remote working
Working will be required during the self-isolation period unless an individual is feeling unwell enough that they are unable to work, in which case, personal leave should be taken and the normal process for sick leave should be followed. Shine On has put measures in place to enable all office-based workers to be able to work remotely.
Those with company-issued laptops will be able to use these to continue working, using the VPN connection. Laptops and chargers MUST be taken home every evening and not left in the office, to enable access when required.
Those without company-issued laptops will be able to remotely connect to their office-based PC using their home personal computer. Instructions on how to do this will be issued by the Business Improvement Team. Desktop computers to be left on every night during this current period to enable this.
When remote working is required by the business, this will be communicated. Remote working to be validated by the senior manager of each team, and regular catch ups including conference calls etc. to take place to reduce the impact of working in isolation.
Travel and meetings with external partners
Interstate travel for business purposes to be restricted to absolutely necessary travel, with final authority to be given by the Managing Director after discussion with the individual travelling.
If meeting with external partners either on a Shine On site or elsewhere, employees must send this policy to them in advance, and identify if they have recently returned from overseas or are experiencing symptoms. If they have not returned from overseas and are asymptomatic, and accept the conditions of this policy, the meeting can continue. Social distancing is advised.
When visiting other sites of either partners or customers, all employees and subcontractors to abide by Shine On policy and the policy of the third party site.
If a site assessment, installation or meeting is planned at a customer site, the Shine On representative attending should take a proactive approach in re-contacting the customer to identify any practices or protocols that may have been implemented by the customer or their landlord. Project Coordinators to carry out this communication on behalf of installation subcontractors.
Any communications received from customers or partners should be forwarded to the Business Improvement Manager who will store these centrally and circulate as appropriate to internal staff. Project Coordinators to communicate this circulated information to subcontractors.
Positive case
In the instance where an employee or direct subcontractor of Shine On is diagnosed with Coronavirus, the Turner Street and Eastern Creek offices will be closed for 14 calendar days, and all office-based staff members will be required to work remotely. Any clients or suppliers that may also be affected will be notified.
Occasional attendance to the office for essential reasons to be discussed and distributed amongst members of the senior management team.
Recommended practices
In the interest of significantly reducing transmission, extra attention to hygienic practices is required on Shine On sites. These include, but are not limited to:
- Washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and hot water
- Use of hand sanitiser
- Disinfection of surfaces, especially desks, phones and computer hardware
- Covering coughs and sneezes with tissues and sensibly disposing of the tissue
- Social distancing – keeping distances of one metre or more from other people, reducing handshakes, hugs etc.
- Use of your own cutlery, crockery, mugs, cups and glasses
With this in mind, all shared kitchen items at the Turner Street office will be removed from communal areas during this period of high alert. Employees to bring their own items and keep them on their desks. A small volume of disposable cups will be made available for visitors.
Disinfectant, wipes, soap and hand sanitisers are available at the Turner Street site. Regular use is strongly recommended.
Employee Responsibility
Under Health and Safety legislation*, employees must take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of those around them, and co-operate with Shine On with any action taken regarding Health and Safety.
James Johnson
Managing Director
16 March 2020