COVIDSafe Plan

A COVIDSafe Plan supports a business to protect its staff, customers, visitors, and the community. It also prepares a business for a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in the workplace.

Every Victorian business with on-site operations must have a COVIDSafe Plan.

Random spot checks are taking place across the state to ensure compliance. Failure to comply can result in an on-the-spot fine of up to $9,913 or up to $20,000 for serious offences.

• have a COVIDSafe Plan in place that is regularly reviewed and updated; and seek input from your workforce
• from Friday 28 May 2021, it will be mandatory for customer-facing industries that require checking-in to use the free Victorian Government QR Code Service. The full list of industries can be found at coronavirus.vic.gov.au/QR-code-check-in. Venues and facilities currently using a Victorian Government Application Programming Interface (API) linked digital record keeping system must switch to the Victorian Government QR Service by Friday 28 May 2021. For instructions on how to switch, please go to coronavirus.vic.gov.au/register-to-use-vic-gov-qr-code-service
• keep a record of compliance with restrictions, including all logs created during the time of Directions being in force, work premises rosters, time and attendance records and payroll data
• ensure that the number of workers in shared work areas and publicly accessible spaces does not exceed the relevant density quotient
• if a worker is unwell, send them home and direct them to get tested. They must stay home until they have been cleared by the Department of Health. Testing is free and financial support is available for workers who need to self-isolate or quarantine.
• report positive cases of COVID-19 to the Department of Health, WorkSafe, Health and Safety Representatives, and notify your workforce. For more information on identifying and notifying close contacts, see

  Workplace guidance for managing suspected and confirmed cases

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  Additional information on reporting a positive case of COVID-19 is available at: Confirmed case in the workplace page
• take all reasonable steps to frequently and regularly clean and disinfect shared spaces
• undertake risk assessments for cleaning and the potential closure of your workplace in certain situations.

Visit WorkSafe Victoria for more details about employee and employer workplace health and safety obligations.

• understand the COVIDSafe Plan for your workplace
• regularly wash your hands and always practise good hand hygiene
• where possible within the workplace, aim to maintain physical distancing of 1.5 metres from others 
• follow density quotient and worker caps for your workplace
• adhere to current face mask requirements
• do not go to work if you are feeling sick. If you start to feel unwell at work, go home and get tested immediately
• tell your employer if you test positive to COVID-19
• regularly clean equipment and shared spaces.
  

You don’t need to rewrite your COVIDSafe Plan in the revised template. However, you should review your current COVIDSafe Plan regularly to ensure it aligns with the latest advice, guidelines and to ensure it meets the requirements under the six COVIDSafe Principles. 

Your COVIDSafe Plan must be available for inspection on request by WorkSafe or other authorised officers under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. You do not need to submit your COVIDSafe Plan or have it endorsed by the Victorian Government.

Authorised officers under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and WorkSafe may undertake site inspections to ensure employers are operating with a COVIDSafe Plan and are complying with COVIDSafe practices.

Authorised officers and WorkSafe select site operators for review and ask them to demonstrate that they are complying with the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s Directions. Operators must retain and make available for inspection their COVIDSafe Plans, project resourcing plans, work premises rosters, time and attendance data, payroll data and other site attendance records.

Members of the public can report a suspected breach of the public health restrictions, including isolation breaches, unauthorised mass gatherings or business breaches, by contacting the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or reporting it online at Police Assistance Line and Online Reporting.

For worksites where a principal contractor has control of the project, subcontractors must adhere to the principal contractor’s COVIDSafe Plan for that worksite.

For sites where a principal contractor does not have control of the project, subcontractors must complete their own COVIDSafe Plan for the worksite they are on, even if that worksite is shared with another employer.

Subcontractors must also complete a COVIDSafe Plan for their own worksite, such as a head office, work vehicle or warehouse. Work vehicles used predominantly to travel between the work premises and their ordinary place of residence do not require a COVIDSafe Plan, but a vehicle used predominantly as a work premises, (for example a food truck or dental van), does require a COVIDSafe Plan.

High Risk COVIDSafe Plans are no longer required, but there are additional requirements for some industries.

Businesses can continue to use an existing High Risk COVIDSafe Plan if the information in it is still current or can adopt a standard COVIDSafe Plan.  Please see Additional Industry Obligations for more information on the requirements for your business.