Every part of the workplace needs to be considered. This includes areas such as entry and exit points, shared facilities like cafeterias, toilets and change rooms, packaging and storage areas.
Worker interactions and work tasks
- Check the physical distancing requirements on your relevant state or territory government website.
- If your jurisdiction requires businesses to limit the number of people in an enclosed area:
- calculate the area of the enclosed space (length multiplied by width in metres) and divide by the number of square metres allowed/recommended per person (e.g. 4 square metres). This will provide you with the maximum number of people you should have in the space at any one time.
- where the nature of work means you are not able to comply with these requirements, you need to implement other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- You can also limit the number of workers in your workplace by:
- facilitating working from home for office/administrative staff, where you can
- splitting workers’ shifts to reduce the number of workers onsite at any given time. Schedule time between shifts so that there is no overlap of staff arriving at and leaving the workplace or have different entrances and exits to avoid interaction.
- Direct workers to keep 1.5 metres of distance between them in accordance with general health advice. To achieve the best outcomes for physical distancing:
- implement the density requirements specified in your jurisdiction (for example, 4 square metres of space per person)
- put signs around the workplace and create wall or floor markings to identify 1.5 metres distance, for example between workstations. Your staff could wear a badge as a visual reminder to each other of physical distancing requirements, or designate workers to monitor and facilitate physical distancing on processing lines and in common areas like break rooms
- limit physical interactions between workers, workers and clients, and workers and other persons at the site – e.g. by using contactless deliveries and limiting non-essential visitors, and
- require workers to use other methods such as mobile phone or radio to communicate rather than face to face interaction.
- Where it is practical and safe to do so, review tasks and processes that usually require close interaction and identify ways to modify these to increase physical distancing between workers.
- For example, slow down production in order to create additional time to reduce congestion in boot wash, change and locker rooms.
- If workers clock-in and out in areas which can become congested, consider if it can be done using an alternative procedure, such as a having a supervisor check names off a list or provide additional equipment to clock in at another entrance.
- Consider grouping work teams into sub-teams or cohort groups to reduce the number of different people each person works directly next to. In large sites, cohort groups could work in distinct areas to limit movement within the workplace. This may minimise the spread of COVID-19 if present in the workplace, minimise the number of workers that need to quarantine if quarantine should be required, and increase the effectiveness of any changed systems of work (such as split shifts).
- Where possible, limit crossover of workers between different work sites.
- If changing work tasks and processes is not possible, reduce the amount of time workers spend in close contact. See below for further information where workers are performing tasks in close contact, including vehicle use.
See also our information on what to do if your workers cannot maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres.
Layout of the workplace
- You may need to redesign the layout of the workplace and your workflows to enable workers to keep at least 1.5 metres apart to continue performing their duties. This can be achieved by, where possible:
- restricting workers and others to certain pathways or areas, such as creating single file pathways, and
- spreading out furniture or plant to increase distancing.
- Modify the alignment of workstations so that workers do not face one another.
- Eliminate shared worktables and benches in favour of single worker stations.
- Consider floor and/or wall markings and signage to identify 1.5 metres distancing requirements.
- Allocate different doors for entry and exit through the workplace to minimise bottlenecks.
If changing the physical layout of the workplace, your layout must allow for workers to enter, exit and move about the workplace both under normal working conditions and in an emergency (including exiting in case of fire) without risks to their health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
Staff gatherings and training
Postpone or cancel non-essential gatherings, meetings or training.
If gatherings, meetings or training are essential:
- face-to-face gatherings, meetings or training only where, and for as long, as necessary.
- hold the gathering, meeting or training in spaces that enable workers to keep at least 1.5 metres apart and to comply with the density requirements specified in your jurisdiction – e.g. outdoors or in large conference rooms
- ensure handwashing facilities, or if not possible, alcohol-based hand sanitiser, are available for workers before and after attending gatherings, meetings or training.
- ensure there is adequate ventilation if gatherings are held indoors.
See also our information on training.
Workplace facilities
- Ensure workers maintain physical distancing from others at all times, including during breaks and in common areas such as bathrooms, lunch rooms, car parks and smoking areas.
- Reduce the number of workers using common areas at a given time – e.g by staggering meal breaks and start times.
- If possible, arrange separate lunchrooms for work teams or cohort groups. There may be other areas which could be used as alternative break and lunch areas for workers, such as training rooms or portables.
- If possible, provide each worker with a permanent chair in the lunchroom. If this is not practicable, appropriate cleaning and disinfecting should be undertaken between each use.
- Re-arrange chairs and tables to maintain 1.5 metre distancing, for example by limiting each table to 2 people, seated at each end, unless greater distancing can be achieved. Remove excess seats. If this is not possible, consider installing barriers on tables in lunchrooms.
- Ensure any catering or food service is assessed to minimise contamination risk. For example, consider replacing “made to order” food service with “grab and go” premade options.
- Provide single use kitchen utensils, cutlery and cups, or if they must be shared ensure they are washed after use, preferably in a dishwasher.
- Limiting the use of water fountains to dispense into water bottles only.
- Spread out furniture in common areas. If changing the physical layout of the workplace, you must ensure the layout allows for workers to enter, exit and move about the workplace both under normal working conditions and in an emergency (including exiting in case of fire) without risks to their health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Consider providing separate amenities for workers and others in the workplace – for example separate bathroom facilities for workers and visitors/clients. Increase amenities such as portable toilets and wash areas if required to help maintain 1.5 meters physical distancing.
- Increase the number of areas for changing, or allow more time for changing, and consider staggering change times where practicable.
- Consider changing taps on site to knee or foot-operated, creating partitions between taps and between hoses, and using exhaust fans to reduce high humidity if needed.
- Place signage about physical distancing around the workplace. Our website has links to a range of posters and resources to help remind workers and others of the risks of COVID-19 and the measures that are necessary to stop its spread. These posters can be placed around the workplace and in client-facing work environments (e.g. workplace entrances). Consideration needs to be given to how to communicate with workers and others with English language barriers.
Screening workers
In addition to the physical distancing measures outlined above, consider implementing a process to screen workers before they enter the workplace. This could include:
- reminding workers of the common symptoms of COVID-19 and that they should not be at work if they have or have had any of the common symptoms in the last 48 hours
- asking workers if they have recently travelled or been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19
- conducting temperature checks with touch-free thermometers. Temperature checks can be used in combination with other measures but they should not be solely relied on. Temperature checks do not tell you whether a person has COVID-19, a person could have a temperature for another reason unrelated to COVID-19, and people with COVID-19 may also be asymptomatic or on medication that reduces their temperature
For more information on temperature checks and related health monitoring measures, see our information on health monitoring.
It is important that workers and other people who have COVID-19 symptoms do not attend the workplace. You should consider:
- providing education and training and placing signage to increase awareness of COVID-19 symptoms and what a person should do if they have symptoms including:
- not coming to work or isolating or quarantining, where instructed by health officials
- the steps to follow if they develop symptoms at work
- when to seek medical advice and get tested
- supporting workers to access testing, stay home if they have symptoms and implementing remote working options for workers in isolation or quarantine, if possible, and
- workplace policies and procedures to manage cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the workplace.
For information about what do if you suspect someone at the workplace has COVID-19 or has been exposed, see our information on COVID-19 in the workplace.
Deliveries, contractors and visitors attending the workplace
- Non-essential visits to the workplace should be cancelled or postponed.
- Minimise the number of workers attending to deliveries and contractors as much as possible.
- Delivery drivers and other contractors who need to attend the workplace, to provide maintenance or repair services or perform other essential activities, should be given clear instructions of your requirements while they are on site.
- Ensure handwashing facilities, or if not possible, alcohol-based hand sanitiser, is readily available for workers after physically handling deliveries.
- Direct visiting delivery drivers and contractors to remain in vehicles and use contactless methods such as mobile phones to communicate with your workers wherever possible.
- Direct visiting delivery drivers and contractors to use alcohol-based hand sanitiser before handling products being delivered.
- Use, and ask delivery drivers and contractors to use, electronic paper work where possible, to minimise physical interaction. Where possible, set up alternatives to requiring signatures. For instance, see whether a confirmation email or a photo of the loaded or unloaded goods can be accepted as proof of delivery or collection (as applicable). If a pen or other utensil is required for signature you can ask that the pen or utensil is cleaned or sanitised before use. For pens, you may wish to use your own.
On-going review and monitoring
- If physical distancing measures introduce new health and safety risks (e.g. because they impact communication or mean that less people are doing a task), you need to manage those risks too.
- Put processes in place to regularly monitor and review the implementation of physical distancing measures to ensure they are being followed and remain effective
Do I need to provide personal protective equipment to workers who are in close contact with each other?
You must ensure workers comply with physical distancing requirements where possible. In circumstances where the nature of the task requires workers to be in close contact, you must put control measures in place that minimise the time workers spend with each other or with other people in the workplace. You must also ensure workers are practicing good hygiene.
If you have a situation where, despite other control measures, workers will be in close contact with each other or with other people for longer than the recommended time (i.e more than 15 minutes face to face cumulative over the course of a week or more than 2 hours in a shared closed space), consider the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Workers must be trained in the proper use of PPE. Be aware of WHS risks that may arise as a result of workers using and wearing PPE.
See also our information on PPE.
My workers need to travel in a vehicle together for work purposes. How do they practice physical distancing?
Ideally, numbers should be limited to one person per vehicle trip where possible. If that is not possible, the numbers of employees in a vehicle per trip need to be minimised.
When minimising numbers, employers need to take into account:
- the size of the vehicle, the number of rows of seats, and how distances can be maximised in the space (for example, the driver with a passenger sitting in the back)
- the duration of the trip
- the additional control measures in this guidance.
These measures may mean:
- more of your vehicles are on the road at one time
- more workers are driving and for longer periods than usual (if driving by themselves).
Because of this, you should review your procedures and policies for vehicle maintenance and driver safety to ensure they are effective and address all possible WHS risks that arise when workers drive for work purposes.
If workers are required to travel together for work purposes and the trip is longer than 15 minutes, air conditioning must be set to external airflow rather than to recirculation or windows should be opened for the duration of the trip.
You must also clean vehicles more frequently, no matter the length of the trip, but at least following each use by workers.
See also our information on Cleaning.
Do workers need to practice physical distancing when on a lunch break or when travelling to and from work?
Yes. Workers must always comply with any state or territory public health directions or orders. This includes maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 metres between people.
In some states and territories there may be strict limitations on gatherings in public places. This means that in some circumstances, workers cannot eat lunch together in a park or travel together in a vehicle to and from work.
You should refer to your state or territory health authority for further information on specific restrictions in place under public health directions or orders in your state or territory.
Every part of the workplace needs to be considered. This includes areas such as entry and exit points, shared facilities like cafeterias, toilets and change rooms, packaging and storage areas.
Worker interactions and work tasks
- Check the physical distancing requirements on your relevant state or territory government website.
- If your jurisdiction requires businesses to limit the number of people in an enclosed area:
- calculate the area of the enclosed space (length multiplied by width in metres) and divide by the number of square metres allowed/recommended per person (e.g. 4 square metres). This will provide you with the maximum number of people you should have in the space at any one time.
- where the nature of work means you are not able to comply with these requirements, you need to implement other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- You can also limit the number of workers in your workplace by:
- facilitating working from home for office/administrative staff, where you can
- splitting workers’ shifts to reduce the number of workers onsite at any given time. Schedule time between shifts so that there is no overlap of staff arriving at and leaving the workplace or have different entrances and exits to avoid interaction.
- Direct workers to keep 1.5 metres of distance between them in accordance with general health advice. To achieve the best outcomes for physical distancing:
- implement the density requirements specified in your jurisdiction (for example, 4 square metres of space per person)
- put signs around the workplace and create wall or floor markings to identify 1.5 metres distance, for example between workstations. Your staff could wear a badge as a visual reminder to each other of physical distancing requirements, or designate workers to monitor and facilitate physical distancing on processing lines and in common areas like break rooms
- limit physical interactions between workers, workers and clients, and workers and other persons at the site – e.g. by using contactless deliveries and limiting non-essential visitors, and
- require workers to use other methods such as mobile phone or radio to communicate rather than face to face interaction.
- Where it is practical and safe to do so, review tasks and processes that usually require close interaction and identify ways to modify these to increase physical distancing between workers.
- For example, slow down production in order to create additional time to reduce congestion in boot wash, change and locker rooms.
- If workers clock-in and out in areas which can become congested, consider if it can be done using an alternative procedure, such as a having a supervisor check names off a list or provide additional equipment to clock in at another entrance.
- Consider grouping work teams into sub-teams or cohort groups to reduce the number of different people each person works directly next to. In large sites, cohort groups could work in distinct areas to limit movement within the workplace. This may minimise the spread of COVID-19 if present in the workplace, minimise the number of workers that need to quarantine if quarantine should be required, and increase the effectiveness of any changed systems of work (such as split shifts).
- Where possible, limit crossover of workers between different work sites.
- If changing work tasks and processes is not possible, reduce the amount of time workers spend in close contact. See below for further information where workers are performing tasks in close contact, including vehicle use.
See also our information on what to do if your workers cannot maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres.
Layout of the workplace
- You may need to redesign the layout of the workplace and your workflows to enable workers to keep at least 1.5 metres apart to continue performing their duties. This can be achieved by, where possible:
- restricting workers and others to certain pathways or areas, such as creating single file pathways, and
- spreading out furniture or plant to increase distancing.
- Modify the alignment of workstations so that workers do not face one another.
- Eliminate shared worktables and benches in favour of single worker stations.
- Consider floor and/or wall markings and signage to identify 1.5 metres distancing requirements.
- Allocate different doors for entry and exit through the workplace to minimise bottlenecks.
If changing the physical layout of the workplace, your layout must allow for workers to enter, exit and move about the workplace both under normal working conditions and in an emergency (including exiting in case of fire) without risks to their health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
Staff gatherings and training
Postpone or cancel non-essential gatherings, meetings or training.
If gatherings, meetings or training are essential:
- face-to-face gatherings, meetings or training only where, and for as long, as necessary.
- hold the gathering, meeting or training in spaces that enable workers to keep at least 1.5 metres apart and to comply with the density requirements specified in your jurisdiction – e.g. outdoors or in large conference rooms
- ensure handwashing facilities, or if not possible, alcohol-based hand sanitiser, are available for workers before and after attending gatherings, meetings or training.
- ensure there is adequate ventilation if gatherings are held indoors.
See also our information on training.
Workplace facilities
- Ensure workers maintain physical distancing from others at all times, including during breaks and in common areas such as bathrooms, lunch rooms, car parks and smoking areas.
- Reduce the number of workers using common areas at a given time – e.g by staggering meal breaks and start times.
- If possible, arrange separate lunchrooms for work teams or cohort groups. There may be other areas which could be used as alternative break and lunch areas for workers, such as training rooms or portables.
- If possible, provide each worker with a permanent chair in the lunchroom. If this is not practicable, appropriate cleaning and disinfecting should be undertaken between each use.
- Re-arrange chairs and tables to maintain 1.5 metre distancing, for example by limiting each table to 2 people, seated at each end, unless greater distancing can be achieved. Remove excess seats. If this is not possible, consider installing barriers on tables in lunchrooms.
- Ensure any catering or food service is assessed to minimise contamination risk. For example, consider replacing “made to order” food service with “grab and go” premade options.
- Provide single use kitchen utensils, cutlery and cups, or if they must be shared ensure they are washed after use, preferably in a dishwasher.
- Limiting the use of water fountains to dispense into water bottles only.
- Spread out furniture in common areas. If changing the physical layout of the workplace, you must ensure the layout allows for workers to enter, exit and move about the workplace both under normal working conditions and in an emergency (including exiting in case of fire) without risks to their health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Consider providing separate amenities for workers and others in the workplace – for example separate bathroom facilities for workers and visitors/clients. Increase amenities such as portable toilets and wash areas if required to help maintain 1.5 meters physical distancing.
- Increase the number of areas for changing, or allow more time for changing, and consider staggering change times where practicable.
- Consider changing taps on site to knee or foot-operated, creating partitions between taps and between hoses, and using exhaust fans to reduce high humidity if needed.
- Place signage about physical distancing around the workplace. Our website has links to a range of posters and resources to help remind workers and others of the risks of COVID-19 and the measures that are necessary to stop its spread. These posters can be placed around the workplace and in client-facing work environments (e.g. workplace entrances). Consideration needs to be given to how to communicate with workers and others with English language barriers.
Screening workers
In addition to the physical distancing measures outlined above, consider implementing a process to screen workers before they enter the workplace. This could include:
- reminding workers of the common symptoms of COVID-19 and that they should not be at work if they have or have had any of the common symptoms in the last 48 hours
- asking workers if they have recently travelled or been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19
- conducting temperature checks with touch-free thermometers. Temperature checks can be used in combination with other measures but they should not be solely relied on. Temperature checks do not tell you whether a person has COVID-19, a person could have a temperature for another reason unrelated to COVID-19, and people with COVID-19 may also be asymptomatic or on medication that reduces their temperature
For more information on temperature checks and related health monitoring measures, see our information on health monitoring.
It is important that workers and other people who have COVID-19 symptoms do not attend the workplace. You should consider:
- providing education and training and placing signage to increase awareness of COVID-19 symptoms and what a person should do if they have symptoms including:
- not coming to work or isolating or quarantining, where instructed by health officials
- the steps to follow if they develop symptoms at work
- when to seek medical advice and get tested
- supporting workers to access testing, stay home if they have symptoms and implementing remote working options for workers in isolation or quarantine, if possible, and
- workplace policies and procedures to manage cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the workplace.
For information about what do if you suspect someone at the workplace has COVID-19 or has been exposed, see our information on COVID-19 in the workplace.
Deliveries, contractors and visitors attending the workplace
- Non-essential visits to the workplace should be cancelled or postponed.
- Minimise the number of workers attending to deliveries and contractors as much as possible.
- Delivery drivers and other contractors who need to attend the workplace, to provide maintenance or repair services or perform other essential activities, should be given clear instructions of your requirements while they are on site.
- Ensure handwashing facilities, or if not possible, alcohol-based hand sanitiser, is readily available for workers after physically handling deliveries.
- Direct visiting delivery drivers and contractors to remain in vehicles and use contactless methods such as mobile phones to communicate with your workers wherever possible.
- Direct visiting delivery drivers and contractors to use alcohol-based hand sanitiser before handling products being delivered.
- Use, and ask delivery drivers and contractors to use, electronic paper work where possible, to minimise physical interaction. Where possible, set up alternatives to requiring signatures. For instance, see whether a confirmation email or a photo of the loaded or unloaded goods can be accepted as proof of delivery or collection (as applicable). If a pen or other utensil is required for signature you can ask that the pen or utensil is cleaned or sanitised before use. For pens, you may wish to use your own.
On-going review and monitoring
- If physical distancing measures introduce new health and safety risks (e.g. because they impact communication or mean that less people are doing a task), you need to manage those risks too.
- Put processes in place to regularly monitor and review the implementation of physical distancing measures to ensure they are being followed and remain effective
Do I need to provide personal protective equipment to workers who are in close contact with each other?
You must ensure workers comply with physical distancing requirements where possible. In circumstances where the nature of the task requires workers to be in close contact, you must put control measures in place that minimise the time workers spend with each other or with other people in the workplace. You must also ensure workers are practicing good hygiene.
If you have a situation where, despite other control measures, workers will be in close contact with each other or with other people for longer than the recommended time (i.e more than 15 minutes face to face cumulative over the course of a week or more than 2 hours in a shared closed space), consider the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Workers must be trained in the proper use of PPE. Be aware of WHS risks that may arise as a result of workers using and wearing PPE.
See also our information on PPE.
My workers need to travel in a vehicle together for work purposes. How do they practice physical distancing?
Ideally, numbers should be limited to one person per vehicle trip where possible. If that is not possible, the numbers of employees in a vehicle per trip need to be minimised.
When minimising numbers, employers need to take into account:
- the size of the vehicle, the number of rows of seats, and how distances can be maximised in the space (for example, the driver with a passenger sitting in the back)
- the duration of the trip
- the additional control measures in this guidance.
These measures may mean:
- more of your vehicles are on the road at one time
- more workers are driving and for longer periods than usual (if driving by themselves).
Because of this, you should review your procedures and policies for vehicle maintenance and driver safety to ensure they are effective and address all possible WHS risks that arise when workers drive for work purposes.
If workers are required to travel together for work purposes and the trip is longer than 15 minutes, air conditioning must be set to external airflow rather than to recirculation or windows should be opened for the duration of the trip.
You must also clean vehicles more frequently, no matter the length of the trip, but at least following each use by workers.
See also our information on Cleaning.
Do workers need to practice physical distancing when on a lunch break or when travelling to and from work?
Yes. Workers must always comply with any state or territory public health directions or orders. This includes maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 metres between people.
In some states and territories there may be strict limitations on gatherings in public places. This means that in some circumstances, workers cannot eat lunch together in a park or travel together in a vehicle to and from work.
You should refer to your state or territory health authority for further information on specific restrictions in place under public health directions or orders in your state or territory.