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COVID-19 Contractor Update 6

/ Coronavirus Contractor Updates
All campuses will close during the lockdown period and SWTAFE will transition to working from home and remote learning.
COVID 19 Update

What this means for SWTAFE

  • Our staff will deliver training remotely to our students wherever possible.
  • There are only a few Facilities and ICT staff on-site in our campus buildings until normal operations resume.

What this means for our contractors

  • The Acting Premier's Private Office has confirmed the building and construction industry will remain open, so construction activities will be able to continue on our sites, with only essential maintenance continuing to be delivered.
  • Essential maintenance has been identified by our Facilities team. If there is any work that has been scheduled to be undertaken in the next seven days and has been identified as non-essential by Facilities, a member of the team will contact you to reschedule the works.
  • We continue to utilise the Permit to Work Form and the COVID-19 Contractor Declaration Form for all Contractors coming to work onsite.

What we ask from you

If you have a change in contact details, operations, or staffing during this time we encourage you to advise a member of our team so we know how/where to get in touch. We also ask that you confirm by way of signing the Contractor COVID-19 Contractor Declaration Form that you haven’t at any time visited the listed exposure sites.

We ask all contractors to follow the social distancing guidelines provided by the Dept. of Health and manage this accordingly in your workplace and our campuses:
Maintain 1.5m social distancing at all times.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds), especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow.
  • Ensure you wear a face mask or covering when travelling to and from the SWTAFE site, while you are on-site unless you have a lawful exception not to.
  • Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces regularly.
  • Stay home if you are sick and don’t expose others.
  • Get vaccinated for the flu (influenza). This will help reduce the demand on the healthcare system and protects you from health complications.

What to do if you are unwell and have been onsite

If any of your employees are unwell, and we have pre-arranged access for essential maintenance, please ensure they do not visit any SWTAFE campus.

If you or your employees have been attending a SWTAFE site for essential maintenance and become unwell, please inform Emily Trodden, Facilities Manager on (03) 5564 8946.

How to report a positive COVID-19 case to SWTAFE

  • If you are a contractor (who has been onsite at SWTAFE) and need to report a positive COVID-19 case, please immediately contact Shannyn Martin:
    During business hours call Shannyn Martin on (03) 5564 8817 or 0466 615 864, or email incident.response@swtafe.edu.au
  • After hours please call Shannyn Martin on 0466 615 864

What happens if there is a positive COVID-19 case at SWTAFE

We are well prepared should we be alerted of a positive case at SWTAFE. A comprehensive Trace Management Procedure and Communications Plan has been prepared should we need to act.

Rest assured that should we be notified of a connection to a positive case that any staff, student or contractor identified as close contacts would be alerted immediately by DHHS or SWTAFE. We would also facilitate all requirements and directives of DHHS to prioritise and protect the health and safety of our students, staff and broader community.

Have any questions?

We have also created an information portal on the SWTAFE website that can be accessed for the latest information and updates for both students and contractors. You will find all of our communications here.

If there are important questions that you don’t feel are being answered please make contact with our SWTAFE Facilities Team:

Thank you for adhering to the above SWTAFE protocols. It helps us all to stay safe and well

Best regards,
Mark Fidge
CEO