Do your workers know not to come to work when they are unwell, even if they feel fit to work?

Look for signs of ‘presenteeism’? Are managers and supervisors modelling the correct behaviours or is there a culture of ‘soldiering on’ that needs to be discussed as a team?

Have you informed workers about the importance of hand washing?

Have you trained workers on how to wash their hands (with soap and water for at least 20 seconds) and dry them correctly?

Have you trained workers on how to correctly use alcohol-based hand sanitiser?

† before and after eating

† after coughing or sneezing

† after going to the toilet

† after changing tasks

† after touching potentially contaminated surfaces

† cover coughs and sneezes with an elbow or a tissue

† avoid touching the face, eyes, nose and mouth

† dispose of tissues hygienically

† wash hands before and after smoking a cigarette

† clean and disinfect surfaces and shared equipment

† wash body, hair (including facial hair) and clothes thoroughly every day

† stay more than 1.5 metres away from others

† don’t shake hands and avoid any other close physical contact where possible

† no spitting

† put cigarette butts in the bin

Can you set up automatic alerts on computer systems to remind workers about washing hands and good hygiene measures?

Can you put in a system to provide for cashless transactions?

Require workers to minimise contact with others where possible

† the number of workers on site

† any shift arrangements

† entry and exit points

† high traffic areas

† the need for workers to wash their hands before, during or after the completion of a work task

† the location of the workplace or work tasks. Will workers be located outside away from common facilities such as bathrooms?

† Are the hand washing and hand sanitising stations placed in convenient location to ensure workers and others can access them easily and frequently?

† Have you talked to your contract cleaner or responsible worker to discuss if someone can check soap dispensers and monitor rubbish bins more frequently?

Check the facilities are in good working order

† Is water collecting anywhere it shouldn’t?

† Is any paper towel dispenser working properly?

† Are automatic soap dispensers an option?

Can you provide touch free bins?

Put posters up to inform workers and others how to wash their hands correctly and when to wash their hands.

Does the alcohol-based hand sanitiser have at least 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol as the active ingredient as per the manufacturer’s instructions?

† entry and exit points to the workplace

† entry and entry points to common areas

† in areas that have high touchpoints or high traffic flows

For example:
Around the photocopier, near lifts

Put up posters at each station to inform workers and others how to sanitise their hands correctly and when

If children may enter the workplace, is hand sanitiser in a position to prevent accidental ingestion?

Increase access to closed bins in your workplace.

Put up signs to request customers only touch objects they are going to buy.

Communicate to workers that they are to report any flu-like symptoms to you, to stay away from the workplace and to seek advice from a health care professional.

† Clean up after themselves

† Place rubbish in bins provided

† Avoid putting personal items such as phones on meal surfaces

† Have adequate detergent and disinfectant products

Put processes in place to make sure someone checks all hand washing and hand sanitising stations are adequately stocked.

Put processes in place to enable workers to efficiently raise issues relating to worker hygiene and hand washing or hand sanitising stations.

Develop infection control policies in consultation with your workers. These policies should outline measures in place to prevent the spread of infectious diseases at the workplace