By now you will all know that the Construction industry re-opened on Tuesday 5 October under the COVIDSafe Restart Framework to ensure the safety of workers, families and the community.

The key call-outs for small scale constructions sites are: –

• All workers must have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, unless you have a medical exemption evidenced by an authorised medical practitioner
  (it is important to note that all construction workers must be fully vaccinated by 13 November)
• Number of workers on-site is capped at 5 people (plus a site supervisor)
• COVID Marshals on small scale construction sites may be a site supervisor who performs the role of COVID Marshal for multiple job sites at the same time

It is extremely important to note that the Victorian Government has confirmed the status of insurance assessments, critical repairs and emergency make safes as activities permitted under the Authorised Provider and Authorised Worker list, meaning that we can continue to provide these services even when the property is occupied. The following activities in particular are included in the Authorised Activities List:

• essential infrastructure and essential services that are required to maintain or protect human health, safety and wellbeing (whether provided by a public or private undertaking), and including construction, maintenance and repair of such infrastructure; or
• critical repairs to any premises where required for emergency or safety
• adjustors/assessors would also have authorised worker status if their activity is directly linked to emergency repairs and they are required to enable these repairs

The Victorian Government has also defined ‘Critical repairs for emergency or safety reasons’ as –

‘Urgent repairs which must be undertaken to keep individuals within properties and work premises safe, to prevent individuals (including workers) from injury, to prevent property damage or damage to goods, or for urgent repair to an essential service’.

The following are examples of ‘urgent repairs’: –

• emergency make safes (these occur following damage and are necessary to ensure the property and residents are safe and secure);
• necessary functional repairs to ensure a home is habitable (ie repairing a bathroom, kitchen or hot water system if necessary for the resident to remain in the home);
• necessary repairs that are required to mitigate the risk of further property damage (ie completing a roof repair so the home is not exposed to significant additional damage from wind and rain); and
• repairs to damaged business premises if required to ensure the safety or security of the building (such as preventing the risk of theft or further significant damage).