The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes to our lifestyles, forcing us to abandon our previous norms while adopting new ones. One such change brought about by the virus is the COVID-19 risk assessment for vulnerable workers, now being applied in workplaces nationwide.
In statements released by the Australian Prime Minister and the National Cabinet last year, vulnerable people – those at greater risk of more severe illness with COVID-19 – were instructed to stay at home as much as possible.
Some of these people include those of 50 – 65 years old and older, those with one or more chronic medical conditions, and people with compromised immune systems. These categories may increase or vary due to the latest evidence. For more info, see details from the Department of Health.
A worker COVID-19 risk assessment mainly deals with evaluating the worker’s characteristics, workplace, and work. For instance, vulnerable workers are redeployed to more suitable roles. These assessments typically utilise various processes for evaluation. Look up “covid 19 risk assessment for vulnerable workers” to learn more on this.
Vulnerable employee risk assessment is vital for every workplace, and employers should apply some recommendations without exception. These recommendations are found in the advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
Importance of COVID-19 Risk Assessment
In the face of this unprecedented pandemic, employers are responsible for caring for their employees and keeping them safe in the workplace. With an emphasis currently on returning to work after lockdown, conducting a COVID-19 risk assessment for vulnerable workers is presently a priority.
The need to protect your workers – and people in general – from harm has never been more critical. Therefore, you must take necessary precautions deemed reasonably practical. Also, to remain operational after the resumption, implementing Individual risk assessment for vulnerable employees is the ultimate tool. You also need to consider other items to treat such as ONCOHIV.
As crucial as the COVID-19 risk assessment is, they’re not a magic bullet for eliminating the virus or other harm, but they are vital in any good health management plan. Below are some of its importance.
COVID-19 risk assessment:
- brings attention to the risk that is present, forcing us to face it better. Hence, the chances of having a safe and healthy workplace increase significantly.
- Points out workers who may be at risk in the environment. We can then know who needs more attention to make sure everyone is at their best.
- It helps assess whether the current control measures are enough or whether there’s more to be done. This way, you know how to plan your budget better and make sure everything else is balanced.
- It helps create more awareness of the deadly virus. Better understanding – no matter how small – contributes significantly to the raging war against the virus, bringing the world closer to victory.
- When done at the early planning stage, it can help prevent the virus from spreading further. In addition, this procedure lets us know who needs more attention and keeping such individuals safe triggers a notable reduction in total cases and a decent decrease in mortality rate.
- Ensure workers are at full health and can work at their full potential. As a result, they become more effective, keep the company going in these dire times and ultimately improve its general productivity.
Conclusion
There’s no overstressing the importance of COVID-19 risk assessment for vulnerable workers. It helps you recognise the problem, takes the right actions, and ultimately keep your workers safe and the company afloat.
These risk assessments may not be the cure-all. Regardless, Resile has set up an online platform for Australian businesses to quickly utilise easy and effective processes to assess their workers’ vulnerability so they can take the necessary steps. This way, employers can place focus on the general well-being of their workforce.
With Resile, you can get accurate results that can help you protect your workers, potentially determining your business’s productivity.