INFORMATION TO SSAA QUEENSLAND MEMBERS – Monday 29 March 2021

The Queensland Government has announced a 3-day Greater Brisbane lockdown effective from 5.00pm today, 29 March 2021.  This includes:

Schools will close from tomorrow and people in Greater Brisbane will only be able to leave their homes for essential reasons like grocery shopping, exercise, work and medical care. For the rest of Queensland, masks should be worn while indoors except at home and private gatherings are restricted to 30 people.

Whilst full details regarding the lockdown are still being updated on the Queensland Government websites, the SSAA is providing a link to the latest available information:

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Consistent with the information previously released by the SSAA:

Restricted areas movements – in and out

  • People in the impacted local government areas (LGAs) will be required to stay at home except for essential reasons.
  • Visitors to aged care facilitiesdisability accommodation serviceshospitals and correctional facilities in the LGAs are restricted.  This restriction is for all of Queensland, including Greater Brisbane.
  • People can leave their home for a permitted purpose accompanied with people from their household or, alternatively, by one person who is not a member of their household.
  • Individuals are able to leave the Greater Brisbane area to return to their home outside of Greater Brisbane or for essential reasons (see below) but must continue to follow the lockdown rules.
  • Anyone who was in Greater Brisbane on or since 20 March but has since left must follow the same lockdown rules as for Greater Brisbane.
  • Those who transit into Greater Brisbane from surrounding areas for work, healthcare, study or to support a vulnerable person may do so if it is not reasonably practicable to make other arrangement, such as work or study from home.
  • People can enter Greater Brisbane to transit through Brisbane airport.

Reasons to leave home Greater Brisbane during the lockdown period

  • Shopping for essentials, food and necessary supplies
  • Medical or healthcare needs, including compassionate requirements
  • Exercise with no more than one other person, unless all from the same household
  • Providing care or assistance to an immediate family member
  • Work, or volunteering, or study if it is not reasonably practicable to work or learn remotely
  • Child custody arrangements
  • Legal obligations
  • Visit for end of life
  • Attend funeral or wedding in line with restrictions
  • In emergency situations
  • To escape harm
  • If you entered the impacted area responding to an emergency as an emergency health services or emergency service worker or national defence, state security or police officer
  • If required to allow an essential service to occur such as the transport of freight in and out of Greater Brisbane
  • You’re directed to leave by an emergency health officer
  • You have an exemption from the Chief Health Officer

Operations

Self storage facilities provide storage services to a range of commercial and residential customers.  Some of these customers are directly or indirectly linked to the providing ‘permitted goods and services’, for example: –

  • Repairers of elevators and machinery used in hospitals and other critical infrastructure;
  • Companies repairing critical data and IT infrastructure;
  • Companies providing hygiene goods and protective equipment;
  • Foodbanks and charities providing distribution of food, sanitary items, and other critical products for individuals in need;
  • Emergency breakdown services such as RACQ for batteries and spare parts.

Residential storers may require access to essential items for personal use which may extend to medical devices, household appliances, etc.

Facilities owners/operators should have in place a plan to ensure the safe and effective delivery of services and required obligations including, but not limited to:-

  • site security;
  • COVID Safe Plan;
  • cleaning regimes;
  • sanitation protocols;
  • ‘click and collect’ services;
  • contactless move-ins;
  • operating hours;
  • urgent repairs and maintenance;
  • elimination of employees working at multiple sites;
  • closure of public toilet facilities and meeting rooms.

Under Lockdown restrictions employers are responsible for ensuring they meet certain obligations as detailed below.

Employer obligations

Under Lockdown restrictions, workplaces that remain open must:

  • have a COVID Safe Plan in place that is regularly updated
  • ensure that any workers that can work from home are able to do so
  • collect records of all workers, subcontractors, customers and clients attending the work premises for 15 minutes or longer (certain exemptions will apply)
  • one worker per four square metres of enclosed workspace or in shared areas unless an exemption applies, ensure that workers do not work across multiple sites, or for multiple employers
  • ensure that workers are in good health – workers cannot work if they are unwell and employers must not require workers with symptoms to work
  • if your worker is unwell, send them home and direct them to be tested. They must stay home until they have their result
  • report any positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) to DHHS, Worksafe, Health and Safety Representatives, and notify your workforce
  • regularly clean your facilities, shared spaces and provide additional cleaning supplies
  • undertake risk assessments for cleaning and the potential closure of your workplace in certain situations.

Masks for Queensland (all of Queensland including Greater Brisbane)

  • You must carry a face mask with you at all times when you leave home, unless you have a lawful reason not to.
  • You must wear a mask in indoor spaces, such as:
    • shopping centres, supermarkets, retail outlets and indoor markets
    • hospitals and aged care facilities
    • hospitality venues such as restaurants and cafés (not required for patrons while seated; customer facing staff only)
    • churches and places of worship
    • libraries
    • indoor recreational facilities and gyms (except if doing strenuous exercise*)
    • indoor workplaces (where safe to wear a mask and you can’t physically distance)
    • public transport, taxis and rideshare, including waiting areas and queues for this transport
    • airports and travelling on planes.
  • It is strongly recommended you wear a mask when outdoors if you are unable to stay more than 1.5m distance from other people, such as busy walkways and thoroughfares.
  • Masks do not need to be worn in some circumstances, including children under 12 years, where people have certain medical conditions, and in workplaces where it is not safe to do so.
  • You can remove your masks to consume food or drink.

*Strenuous exercise is exercise in or above the aerobic zone including high-intensity interval training, cycling, running.

Key points to remember

  • Adhere to the facility COVID Safe Plan.
  • Masks are recommended to be worn while indoors except at home

Remember that these restrictions are in place to slow the spread of coronavirus in Brisbane and surrounding Councils.