Vaccination Priority Given to Construction Industry

Vaccination Priority Given to Construction Industry

Yesterday HIA advised members about the Victorian Government’s announcement that construction workers will have priority access to COVID-19 vaccinations. This alert provides more information that is now available.

Priority Vaccinations

20,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be made available and unlimited supplies of AstraZeneca will be available to construction workers.

To access the priority vaccination scheme you should call the COVID Hotline on 1800 675 398.

Where to get a vaccine

Four major vaccination centres will be open every day until 26 September to walk-ins.

The Ford Campbellfield site, the Heidelberg Repat, Eagle Stadium in Wyndham, and the former Bunnings in Melton will open for walk-ins for construction workers from 8am until 11am over the next fortnight.

The Ford and Repat sites will open again for walk-ins daily between 5pm and 8pm, with the Wyndham and Melton sites open for walk-ins between 5pm and 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Pfizer will be offered to attendees under the age of 60.

AstraZeneca walk-ins will also be available for construction workers at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre each afternoon from 3pm, for a fortnight.

For more information about getting vaccinated go to this website.

What else to do?

With an enforcement blitz underway and concerns about the current outbreak, it is critical that everyone in the residential building industry play their part in doing the right thing. If you have an enforcement officer, such as a WorkSafe inspector or Victorian Police officer attend your site, you must be able to demonstrate that you are complying with all your COVIDSafe requirements.

Members should ensure that all workers on site are aware of their COVIDSafe obligations. This includes:

• Ensuring your COVIDSafe plan is up to date and reflects reduced operations on site – such as only having five workers on a site plus a supervisor.
• Ensure you minimise the number of sites you visit where possible and where required – such as specialist contractors
• Make sure that permitted worker permits are issued to workers who attend building sites in Metropolitan Melbourne or live in Metropolitan Melbourne. 
• Maintain contact tracing record keeping requirements using the Victoria Service App where required – including having the Service Victoria App QR code sign on display 
• Wear a facemask indoors and outdoors (unless an exception applies)
• Ensure shared spaces are cleaned, including on building sites, and records of this cleaning kept
• Social distance where possible
• Check the exposure sites on the coronavirus website.

We will continue to keep members informed as soon as more information becomes available.