As you may have heard already, overnight the West Australian government has issued a health direction aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19. This has implications for building surveyors and to assist you to understand what is required, we have prepared the following summary of information from the directions issued.
You are required to stay home unless you need to:
Masks:
Wearing of masks is mandatory indoors (except at home) and in outdoor public areas (with exceptions for vigorous exercise) and if you are using public transport. This direction also applies to anyone who is outside the Perth and Peel regions but who has been in those regions since Sunday 27 June.
Who can work and why:
Essential workers are any persons whose work is critical to the continued operation of specified activities. The following kinds of work may be attended in person if the work cannot practicably be undertaken from home:
At this stage, there are no specific directions related to the undertaking of building inspections. AIBS will advise further should this information become available. We note that in other jurisdictions where similar directions have been issued, building inspections and other activities where a building surveyor is required to attend multiple sites have been permitted with a COVID-Safe plan in place.
Be COVID-Safe:
In general, this means taking additional precautions to ensure that building surveyors are not likely to spread the contagion should they become infected. Wherever possible, it is important to limit the number of sites each person needs to attend, to wear appropriate protective equipment and sanitise hands and high touch surfaces regularly. It may also be necessary to screen workers regularly.
How long will this last:
The restrictions that have been implemented are expected to be reviewed in coming days and if the threat of spread mitigates as hoped, restrictions are set to ease on Saturday 3 July.
More information:
The details of what has been directed can be found here.
We trust this is of assistance to you. If you believe there is anything more we could do, such as advocate for a change to mitigate impacts on your work, please let us know.