MBV, together with many of our members, participated yesterday in briefings with the Victorian Government on the progress of our sector’s plan for an end to the industry lockdown and a resumption to work next week.

The plan we developed over the long weekend, in collaboration with other employer associations and unions, has found favour with the Victorian Government and there is some clarity, but not certainty, about the detail of final Cabinet decisions and CHO Directions.  

These final details are expected to be finalised today with new Workplace and other Directions likely to take effect from midnight Thursday, as is common practice. 

In anticipation of re-opening, we provide the following information to help you start to prepare for an end to the shutdown of our industry next Tuesday. 

We provide, with a high degree of confidence, the specific recommendation about the obligations required from the Victorian Government to record vaccination status: 

It is the Victorian Government’s intent that the operator of a building and construction worksite can fulfil the obligation to collect vaccination information of all persons by sighting and recording a Vaccination Attestation from each of its sub-contractors, labour hire operators, and other employers of transient workers, such as crane crews, concrete pump operators etc.   

The Attestation supplied to the operator of a building and construction worksite must include the following information for each person:  

                * Name  

                * Construction Induction Training (White) Card Number 

                * Vaccination status i.e. 

                                - First dose 

                                - Second dose 

                                - If no doses, date of booking (at present) by 2 October 

                                - No doses and no booking 

                                - Medical exemption # 

                * Evidence of sighting e.g., seen actual or digital 

                                - Vaccination certificate 

                                - Medicare app 

                * Declaration of person sighting evidence 

                * Dated 

# Please note that medical exemptions are expected to be rare and should be scrutinised carefully.                           

Further, there is a high degree of confidence that employers can now re-enter sites to make COVIDSafe preparations for a resumption of work.  

For large scale construction, this includes works to improve air flow and ventilation in amenities and meeting rooms and checking and identification of density limits in those areas.  

It is vital to ensure that COVID Marshals are identifiable and trained in infection control prior to resumption of work next week. 

Employers/contractors will be required to make a declaration of COVID Safety compliance with a range of measures prior to reopening. The declaration is likely to include an undertaking to comply with Government directions and guidance, that you are willing to be audited, and that you are making a true and correct declaration, which is subject to penalties for providing false and misleading information and/or failure to comply with the Directions under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act. 

We hope this advance-notice gives members sufficient information to move forward and take the recommended steps to prepare for a resumption of work next week. 

Assistance for vaccine-hesitant employees 

To provide our members and industry with easy access to vaccination information, we have worked with other employer associations and unions on this new website: www.constructionvaccinehub.com.au  

It has information available in 16 different languages, catering for our diverse workforce. 

Please share it with your employees.