New Entry Requirements on Job Sites

From Saturday 17 July 2021, residents of an area of concern (currently Fairfield LGA) must not enter a workplace without evidence of having a COVID-19 test. 

All Hutchies’ job sites in Greater Sydney must now implement the below process to comply with this government direction:

1. Each morning Hutchies' sites will be asking workers to produce identification which shows their residential address
2. This ID will be viewed by a nominated gate person - anyone who has an address within one of the nominated LGAs (refer to the current list below) will be asked to present confirmation of a COVID-19 test within the last 72 hours
3. Those who have a residential address within an affected area who are unable to produce evidence of a COVID-19 test will not be permitted to enter site
4. At the same time, gate persons will ensure that everyone arriving on site has signed in to the Service NSW's QR code check in and has completed any other site specific sign in requirements
5. They will also ensure that everyone is wearing a face mask and remind all workers that it is a requirement on Hutchies' sites to wear the mask at all times when it is safe to do so

We appreciate every site is different and the implementation on each job will have site specific requirements. Some of the strategies sites may use to ensure this process is as efficient as possible whilst maintaining social distancing, include:

• Opening additional site entry points with a gate person at each
• Introducing staggered start times
• Multiple lines (including designated lines for people living in affected areas)
• Marked areas with 1.5m spaced queuing (ie entries, hoists etc)

It is a requirement for everyone who resides in a nominated affected area and works outside of this area to get a COVID-19 test every 3 days (72 hours) and provide evidence of their test before entering site.

Hutchies' workers who are from an affected area will be given the opportunity to leave work 1 hour early each Wednesday (and they will be paid for that hour) for the purpose of getting a COVID-19 test.

Any other tests required to ensure they are complying with the government directive will be completed in the workers' own time.

Ideally a subsequent test will be completed each Sunday afternoon as as this will enable workers to attend site until Wednesday afternoon, which is when they will leave to get another test.

We understand from a meeting of key NSW industry stakeholders that this approach (or some clone of it) is being adopted by other head contractors across Greater Sydney in an attempt to create some consistency across the construction industry.

There are a number of key areas that we must follow across the industry, including on Hutchies' jobs across NSW:

• Face masks must now be worn at all times on all NSW sites and in offices, unless it is not safe to do so
• Maintaining stringent COVIDSafe measures including social distancing, good hand hygiene, and cleaning on all sites
• Full compliance with all NSW Government directions at all times, including stay at home orders if you can work from home, and regular testing of specific local government areas in Greater Sydney as directed by the government
• Checking in every time you enter a site using the Service NSW's QR code check in

Please ensure you follow the directions from the NSW Government.