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Do you have, or have you had, within the past 14 days, flu-like symptoms including fever (>38 degrees C.), cough, difficulty breathing or muscle aches?

In the past 14 days, have you had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19,
or a person under monitoring for COVID-19?

Purpose

The purpose of this action plan is to limit the potential of adverse health effects from Coronavirus (COVID-19) to our staff, customers and all those we come into contact with while ensuring continuity of service to our clients.

Responsibilities

  • Managing Director - is responsible for the communication and monitoring of the performance of this action plan.

  • Managers - are responsible for ensuring the communication, implementation and monitoring of the performance of this action plan including daily check-ins on the team’s well-being and proactively contacting any staff who do not arrive for work.

  • All Staff - are required to make themselves aware of this action plan and take steps to minimise the risk of exposure to themselves and others to COVID-19 as outlined in this action plan.

COVID-19 Overview

How does the virus spread?
The virus is spread from person to person by respiratory secretions in three ways:

  1. Through spread of droplets from one person to another (coughing, sneezing);

  2. By touching objects that are contaminated by respiratory secretions and then touching the mouth, eyes or nose; and

  3. Through the spread of particles in the air in crowded populations in enclosed spaces.

Symptoms
Often symptoms are like those of a seasonal flu virus; commonly two or more of – high temperature (or
fever), muscle aches and pains, tiredness, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and stuffy or runny
nose. The severity of symptoms experienced may be influenced by age, individual health and pre-existing
illnesses. In some cases, there may be respiratory complications or vital organ failure leading to death.

How long do symptoms take to develop and how long do they last?

On average, symptoms begin to show 5-6 days from when someone is infected with the virus. However, most people who are infected will develop symptoms within 14 days of infection.

How is COVID-19 treated?

A vaccine is not available currently for COVID-19 and it may take up to 18 months to develop one. The
mainstays of treatment include rest, ensuring adequate fluid intake and taking medications to help with
fever and pain. Those who are seriously affected may require hospitalisation and more detailed
treatment.

Reducing risk of infection

There are several measures that an individual can take to protect themselves and others from all respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. These include:

  • Hand washing (for a minimum of 20 seconds), especially after sneezing or coughing – soap and water or alcohol-based rub.

  • If unwell with cough and cold like symptoms, stay at home until recovered, most of the time symptoms will resolve on their own. Please advise your line manager that you are unwell. Minimise contact with other team members/members of the public.

  • If you have a two or more of – high temperature (or fever), muscle aches and pains, tiredness, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and stuffy or runny nose please contact your doctor for advice on treatment and whether COVID-19 testing is required. Minimise contact with other team members/members of the public. Please advise your line manager that you are unwell.

  • When attending a medical practice, call the practice in advance to advise them of your symptoms and alert the receptionist on arrival so you can be treated away from others.

  • If dialing for emergency response, advise the operator you have symptoms or are infected.

  • Continue to practice general hygiene measures such as regular hand washing/using hand sanitiser.

  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

  • Cough hygiene (cough into your bent elbow and cover your mouth with tissues when coughing or sneezing, disposing of the tissues afterwards and washing hands after disposing of the tissues).

  • When unwell, avoid public places and contact with children or those with underlying illnesses, or stay home.

  • Adhere to and practice social distancing as much as possible. Maintain at least 1.5 metre distance between yourself and others.

  • Stay up to date with relevant and reliable information.

  • Avoid handshaking when greeting others. This will protect you, your colleagues and customers.

  • While there are clinical trials happening around the globe for vaccines in development, there are no known or licensed vaccines available for COVID-19. In contrast, there are numerous antivirals and vaccines available for influenza. While influenza vaccines are not effective against COVID-19, it is still highly recommended to get seasonal vaccinations to prevent influenza infection.

We ask everyone to consider the following questions:

If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, you should follow the advice from the Australian Government Department of Health website on: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novelcoronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert#learn-more-about-coronavirus-covid19.

Workplace Hygiene

Cleaning regimes for all offices, food consumption and common areas are to be reviewed with regards to frequency and nature of cleaning practices. Food preparation and consumption areas such as tables, bench-tops, appliances etc. are to be regularly wiped down with the use of food-safe antibacterial cleaning products.

 

Moreover, beginning 11th March 2020, team members who are working at the office will also be required to daily wipe down and/or disinfect their workstations, frequently touched items, hard surfaces such as desks, armrests, keyboards, mouse, phones, mobile devices, monitors, tablets, chairs etc.


AMS have made available alcohol-based hand santisers and anti-bacterial wipes all around the office and and workshop. All team members are to make full use of these before beginning work for the day and right before exiting the office at the end of the day. Site staff have been provided with protective masks, gloves, safety glasses, disposable coveralls and hand sanitisers for use while on site.

Recommended locations for hand sanitisers and anti-bacterial wipes are:

  • Office entry points and breakout spaces;

  • Office lunchroom and kitchen;

  • Next to any common or shared devices (e.g. copying machines);

  • Anti-bacterial hand soap are provided at all wash points and bathrooms/toilets; and

  • At all company vehicles.

Managing issues

If you have been in contact, or plan to be in direct contact, with international travelers (including family, friends, acquaintances etc.) that are under self-imposed quarantine, or who have displayed any cold or flu-like symptoms, please contact your manager so an employee health management plan can be considered.

Personal health and well-being

For the health and well-being of yourself and others, we request that any employee displaying cold or flu-like
symptoms to:

Clients

Please adhere to the following directives from management:

  • Employees should liaise with clients to postpone face-to-face meetings wherever possible and instead utilise technology such as telephone conferencing, Microsoft Teams or Zoom. These technologies are designed to enable virtual and remote meetings.

  • Be agile in responding to client's requests and needs during this time of uncertainty including, where necessary, the rescheduling of works.

  • Keep clients informed of any required project schedule changes due to COVID-19 impacts such as illnesses of team members or availability of equipment, PPE or materials.

Subcontractors and visitors

As the flu season approaches, and while the current Australian Government Health Alert Status is “Active”,
subcontractors and visitors to offices and project sites that appear unwell or are displaying cold or flu-like symptoms will be asked to consider the health of others by self-isolating themselves from public and work
environments.


Due to the increased concerns over the outbreak of COVID-19, we request that you to consult with your workforce, both direct employees and those of subcontractors in relation to information and precautions to minimise the spread of the virus.

Business continuity

To ensure we minimise the impact of COVID-19, the following information has been provided and measures are in place to ensure we can continue to provide high level service to our clients.

Online training

With the current situation becoming more complex with each passing day, we want to ensure that all our staff, suppliers, subcontractors and clients are informed and ready for the changes that are affecting everyone. Ensuring the safety of everyone is critical to all our business operations.


To further educate all Australians on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health have released a
free 30-minutes e-Learning training course which covers the fundamentals of infection prevention and
control (IPC) for COVID-19.


This training module covers the fundamentals of IPC including:

  • COVID-19 - What is it?;

  • Signs and symptoms;

  • Keeping safe - protecting yourself and others; and

  • Myth busting.

We recommend this e-Learning training course to be undertaken by all AMS staff and subcontractors. This
can be undertaken on the Department of Health website on https://www.health.gov.au/news/how-toprotect-
yourself-and-the-people-you-are-caring-for-frominfection-with-covid-19.
Simply register your details with the Department of Health, enrol and launch the e-Learning training
course at your convenience.
At the end of the course, you should be able to:

  1. Understand the basics about the COVID-19 virus, including how it is spread;

  2. Describe what you can do to protect yourself and others;

  3. Know what to do if you develop symptoms;

  4. Know what to do if the person you are caring for develops symptoms; and

  5. Tell the difference between the myths and facts of COVID-19.

Contact with international travelers

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change, the issues we face are ever evolving and we must be ready to move with them.


We must continue to monitor current government directives such as social distancing measures and travel restrictions and ensure that there are no issues arising from any changes that may affect our continued
operation.


We must continue to monitor and manage our suppliers and subcontractors to ensure there are no adverse impacts to our supply chain and services can continue to be undertaken without disruption.

In the past 14 days, have you traveled overseas?

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