Operating your business at Alert Level 3

Stopping the spread of COVID-19 requires all businesses to trade in a contactless way, put strong hygiene measures in place, and record contact details.

If we don’t take the right measures when we return to work, we risk spreading the disease and causing a spike in new cases – like we have seen in other countries. That could undo all of the gains we have made during lockdown. Remember, people should work from home if they can.

Working in a contactless way

At Alert Level 3, all businesses need to ensure there is no contact with customers. Unfortunately, that means if your business involves physical contact with your customers then it cannot open during Alert Level 3. Ordering and payment should be contactless – online or over the phone. Cash should only be accepted where the customer has no alternative, and should be handled safely. Customers can’t come onto your premises

(unless you are a supermarket, dairy, petrol station, pharmacy or permitted health service). Most goods should be delivered in a contactless way to the customer’s doorstep. Where deliveries can’t happen, customers can receive goods in a contactless pick-up area or drive through. You cannot open your premises to the public. That means customers will not be able to browse in-store, or discuss issues face-to-face with staff.

Putting in place good hygiene measures

The hygiene measures we need to put in place for businesses to operate at Alert Level 3 should all be familiar:

1. Wash and dry hands frequently – soap and water is preferable to hand sanitiser. Remember to always cough or sneeze into your elbow. 2. Stay home if you are sick – this applies to everyone. People with the slightest sniffle or cough should contact their doctor or Healthline and be tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible. 3. Clean surfaces – regularly and with a disinfectant.

4. Maintain appropriate physical

distancing – we have been used to maintaining a 2-metre distance from people outside our bubble. This continues to be a safe distance for workplaces. However, workplaces are controlled environments so we can manage risk differently. If the above measures are rigorously applied – and if other measures like the use of screens, and the careful recording of who works together are in place – then this distance can be reduced to 1 metre. Employers and employees should work together to understand how these measures can be implemented well.

Recording contacts (contact tracing)

At Alert Level 3, it’s important we have strong contact tracing ability. Businesses need to help by keeping a constantly updated record of people who enter their premises. They must record entry and exit times for workers, and visitors like contractors. This needs to include names, times, phone numbers and email addresses. For example:

• A packhouse needs to record when staff arrive and leave, any maintenance staff that visit the site, plus their contact details. • A tradie needs to record the date and time they arrive and leave a customer’s home and their customer’s contact details. All businesses must be sure to make, and keep their contact records, in a safe way. Some services, like supermarkets, dairies, pharmacies and petrol stations, don’t need to collect customer details as they have other ways of contact tracing. However, they still need to keep track of any movement of their staff.