Infection Control Policy – Coronavirus

COVID-19 UPDATE

Building Dilapidations wishes to inform you of the procedure and notification process in relation to the current outbreak of the Coronavirus. You may be aware that this virus has been affecting a number of countries overseas and has now been documented here in Australia.

The Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness from the common cold to more severe diseases. Common symptoms of the virus can include fever, flu like symptoms (such as coughing, sore throat and headaches) and difficulty breathing.

We are committed to ensuring a healthy and safe working environment. As the Australian Federal Government has declared the Coronavirus situation as a pandemic, and in the interests of protecting all people working in our team, our clients, and residents, pleasure make yourself familiar with the following measures:

Prevention

We want to make you aware of some preventative measures that all employees must familiarise themselves with and implement:

• Washing your hands regularly (thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds).
• Covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing and/or wearing of face masks.
• Limit hand shaking and physical contact
• Avoiding contact with wild or farm animals as well as avoiding people who are confirmed to have the virus.
• If you are experiencing any symptoms as outlined above, we request that you do not attend work until you have been cleared by a doctor. You must follow normal notification procedures for sickness as per the Employee Handbook.

Travel

If you are considering travelling abroad, we recommend that you speak with your doctor before travelling and ensure you have read practical advice regarding the virus and travel before departing, including any travel warnings issued by the Australian Government.

During your trip you should avoid all:

• High-risk areas such as farms, live animal markets, and areas where animals are slaughtered, including fish and seafood.
• Contact with animals (alive or dead), including pigs, chickens, ducks and wild birds.
• Surfaces with animal droppings or secretions on them.

If you are returning from a country which has been affected by the virus, if you feel unwell you should see a doctor as soon as practicable. We note that if this has been to a high-risk area, there may be a virus gestation period that we ask you remain away from the workplace to prevent further spread of illness.

Lastly, many employees have had friends and family who have come to Australia from overseas. If you believe you may have been in contact with friends or relatives from an outbreak region, please let management know and it is advised that you do not attend work until you have clearance from a doctor.

Self Quarantine

If you have had contact with someone who has been confirmed with Coronavirus:

• You need to self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date of contact
• If you begin to feel unwell and develop a fever or shortness of breath, a cough or a respiratory illness during your period of self-quarantine you should seek immediate medical attention
• If you experience any other symptoms or illness, perhaps due to chronic disease, during your period of self-quarantine you should also seek immediate medical attention
• Call ahead to your GP or emergency department and mention you’ve been in contact with someone with novel coronavirus infection before you arrive
• Receive a medical clearance that you are fit to return to work

Leave

If you are requested by management to take leave due to illness in relation to the above, you will have access to your leave accruals.

If are not requested by management to take leave, but would like to take leave at your own request, you are able to do so. Any leave taken will be deducted from your annual leave, or taken as unpaid.

If you would like to take leave, or are unsure whether you should take leave, please contact management to discuss your options.

Bookings and inspections – Admin Staff

When making a booking, and the day before the booking for confirmation, please ask the client to let us know if anyone at the residence is showing signs of being sick as the health and safety of our inspectors is top priority. If the answer is yes, please reschedule for a suitable time two weeks from this date. Once rescheduled, ring the day before to ensure all is okay to go ahead.

• For all the contacts being made related to inspection booking through phone or email, ask the following questions from property residents (Mentioning as per our current health and safety policy, you need to ask the following questions):
  • If there is anyone at home who is sick or showing signs of being sick.
  • If they are under quarantine due to suspicion of having Coronavirus.
  • If they have someone came from overseas recently within the last two weeks.

If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, do not schedule the inspection within the next 2 weeks and schedule it for a later date. Make a note for that property to call back the day before inspection to ensure there is no concern to proceed for the inspection.

• Ask the residents if they have any question or concerns regarding the booking without eluding to the virus concerns. If they have any concerns regarding corona virus, inform them of the above precautions we are taking as a company. If they are still concerned, postpone the booking for a later date and Inform the clients accordingly.
• During the booking, ask the residents if they prefer our inspectors to wear face mask even though it is not mandated for the healthy person to have. Add a note in the work order for the inspectors if it is required or not.
• For all the current scheduled inspection, in addition to the SMS reminder goes to residents, call them the day before inspection to ensure if they have any concern and ask the above questions.

Inspectors

Again, as per the above, when arriving at the site to carry out the inspection, please check with the resident if there is anyone at home who is sick or showing signs of being sick. If the answer is yes, we will get the admin team to ring and reschedule the appointment.

When arriving at the site to carry out the any property inspection

• Wear latex gloves which is provided to you for your safety and convenience
• Do not shake hand and keep the minimum 1.5 meter distance with residents at all time.
• Ask the followings questions from residents (Mentioning as per our current health and safety policy, you need to ask the following questions)

–  Is anyone at home who is sick or showing signs of being sick at the property?

–  If they are under quarantine due to Coronavirus suspection?

–  Have they had someone came from overseas within the last two weeks?

If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, do not proceed with the internal inspection. Carry out the external inspection only and let them know we will need to reschedule the inspection and immediately inform the scheduling team to call them and reschedule the internal for another time.

• If not noted in the work order, ask the residents if they feel more comfortable to use face mask during your inspection. If yes, use the face masks provided to you.

Use hand sanitiser before and after each inspection and sanitise your equipment (camera, mobile, etc.)

If applicable, to draft the sitemaps try to make it outside of the property after inspection completed to not use your stationary which might be dropped in the property or need of using their furniture.

We thank you for your patience during this time.