Return to Work Message for all workers

Tomorrow, Wednesday 13 January 2021, sees a large proportion of our industry heading back on to worksites for the first time since the holiday break.
As that break commenced, Victoria had gone months without a positive case of COVID-19. While recent days have seen zero cases in Victoria, since our industry was last at work there have been cases in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland which has been a reality check of how vigilant everyone must be.
To prepare all workers in our industry for the return, the Building and Construction Industry Liaison Officer has provided the following message to be circulated across our industry. We suggest that this be sent to all workers prior to their return. 
 
We’re back in 2021, but so is COVID-19
 
This means you must:
 

  • Carry a face mask and wear it when indoors (except when eating or drinking)
  • Indoors means when entering any enclosed area such as an office, hoist or lift, crib room or ablutions
  • You must wear a face mask in other situations outdoors when you cannot physically distance 1.5 metres
  • Continue to wash your hands and sanitise frequently

 
A new strain of the Coronavirus from the UK has hit Australia, which is 70 percent more transmissible than the original strain.  Even though positive case numbers are low in Victoria at present, this means that it is even more important to follow the Department of Health and Human Services advice and our own Industry COVID-19 Guidelines.
 
And, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms – STAY HOME AND GET TESTED.
 
Worksite Materials:
To further assist the larger effort to keep our industry safe, we remind you of the industry-produced poster and social media materials that are still as relevant today as they were when first introduced.
Please download here and make sure your worksite is displaying these tomorrow and, where possible, ensure the messages feature on your social media feeds. A reminder that these materials are in 16 different languages and contextualised to ensures the right message is communicated to diverse groups, so please make sure all of your workforce is catered for.
 
Border Restrictions:
The Victorian Government has updated its border entry rules with a ‘traffic light system’ in place for entry back into Victoria.
 
A red zone means that you will not be allowed to enter Victoria without an exception, permitted worker permit or exemption.
Those travelling from a designated orange zone must apply for a permit to enter Victoria. You cannot apply for a permit if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, nor if you have visited a red zone.
Those travelling from a designated green zone must apply for a permit to enter Victoria. You cannot apply for a permit if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, nor if you have visited a red zone.

Currently regional classifications for zones are as follows:

Red Zone: Metropolitan Sydney, Metropolitan Brisbane
Orange Zone: Regional NSW (not metropolitan Sydney, or Border communities)  
Green Zone: Regional Queensland (not Metropolitan Brisbane), Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia, NSW Border communities (no permit required).   
 
NSW Border communities - if you are a resident of NSW border communities (details can be found here) you can travel into Victoria with photographic proof of your residential address instead of a permit, and will be treated as a Green Zone resident.   

Applications for permits can be made here.

If any workers had been in metropolitan Brisbane from 2 January, 2021 and have since returned to Melbourne, please ensure they are tested and have returned a negative result before they return to a worksite.