1 August 2021
South-east Queensland in lockdown again. Here are all the details you need on how it impacts the building and construction industry
LOCKDOWN DETAILS
From 4pm on Saturday, 31 July until 4pm Tuesday, 3 August, people in the local government areas of Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Logan, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley and Somerset will be required to stay at home except to:
- Attend work if you can’t work from home
- Buy essentials like groceries and medicine
- Look after the vulnerable, and
- Exercise within their neighbourhood.
Residents must stay within 10km of their home to perform essential shopping and exercise.
Read more about the restrictions details on movement and gathering, businesses and events and face masks on the Queensland Government’s website.
BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION REMAINS OPEN
While the industry has again been deemed essential, there are some differences to the previous lockdowns.
The Department of Energy & Public Works has advised that where construction is on a site that is or includes a home residence or business (e.g. a restaurant or hospital), essential building and construction works can continue. It therefore means that work can be done on:
- New home sites
- New apartments or multi-residential sites
- New commercial building sites
- Other types of buildings where the building is unoccupied by homeowners
- Building work being done for a business for example a restaurant, hospital, or other essential building.
However, you need to make sure you limit interactions between your workers and any clients, occupants, staff or visitors to the site you are working at.
Queensland Health have requested a commonsense approach be taken to working in people’s homes or businesses.
Renovation, maintenance and service work will only be considered essential and can continue if it is:
- Renovations, repair work or maintenance work being done to make the property safe and functional.
- Where the work is outside the home and you have very limited contact with the occupants – i.e. external concreting or external painting.
- Service trade work such as plumbing or electrical that is essential to the property, i.e. genuine emergencies to maintain fresh water and electrical supply to a house/ business.
If you are performing work outlined above, check with the client to make sure they are happy for you to attend their property and limit interactions whilst undertaking the work.
Display villages
Like last time, Master Builders display villages will be required to shut to the public for this period of time.
MASKS
If you leave home in the affected local government areas you must wear a mask at all times. You must carry a face mask with you at all times whenever you leave your home, unless you have a lawful reason not to.
Do I need to wear a face mask on a construction site?
If you’re on a construction site, you’ll need to wear a mask (if it’s safe to do so) even in situations where you can socially distance. The construction industry has remained open due to their successful adoption of COVID-safe practices and wearing a mask wherever possible is an essential part of this.
EXTRA ADVICE FOR MEMBERS
- Ensure your COVID-19 plan is up-to-date
- Implement hygiene measures – hand wash, sanitiser, and cleaning protocols
- Ensure social distancing measures are in place and enforced
- Limit numbers of people doing tasks to only those necessary
- Schedule work so that numbers of people in the same place are limited
- When dealing with homeowners – ensure that you only undertake work that is essential, and send only those people who are needed to perform the work.
We remain open for business and as always, are here to answer any questions you might have, so please feel free to call us on (07) 3225 6444.
FAQs
We're already fielding calls from members regarding finer details of the lockdown. Here's what we know so far.
Can I travel in and out of the lockdown area for construction work?
Yes, as far as we know at this point in time, you can leave the local government areas that are locked down once the lockdown period commences to perform construction work. However, you will need to abide by the lockdown restrictions at all times.
For example, if you live on the Sunshine Coast and you have a project in Hervey Bay, you can go there to do this work as long as you abide by the lockdown restrictions while on site.
You can enter the lockdown region from areas outside, such as from Central Queensland or North Queensland to perform construction work, and then return home. However, you must follow restrictions while in the lockdown area and then also abide by the lockdown restrictions on your return home.
For example, if you are a construction worker who lives in Central Queensland and you have a project in Brisbane, you can attend the site in Brisbane.
You will need to follow the lockdown rules while on site as well as when you return home, such as staying home and only leaving your home for essential purposes, wearing a mask when travelling outside your home, and limiting the numbers of people into your home.
What documentation do I need?
We recommended that if you are travelling to locations to and from the lockdown area then you should:
- Take personal identification with you
- Take information with you about your purpose of travel, such as a contract or work order or evidence that you are a construction worker.
- Go directly to and from your home to the worksite without stopping to do non-essential activities (such as shopping, or grabbing a bite to eat)
- Wear a mask
- Follow hygiene and social distancing rules.
For more information, head to the Queensland Health website.
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