Protecting your agribusiness during COVID-19

All agribusinesses in Queensland hiring seasonal workers must have a workplace health management plan. This is to keep you and your staff safe from COVID-19 risks and to continue operating if someone tests positive for the virus.

For some businesses, this can seem like a daunting task, but Templeton Ginger on the Sunshine Coast have showed how to implement some great practices into a workplace health management plan. Some of steps they took included:

• displaying signage in the different languages of their staff
• putting in hand sanitising stations
• having regular, thorough and documented cleaning processes.

It was important for them to make sure workers were socially distancing, so changes had to be made on the production lines. Floor markings were added to help workers keep 1.5 metres apart from their colleagues during sorting and in the common areas.

Director Kylie Templeton said her staff were very responsive to the new measures.

“Having the plan in place gives the staff a sense of security, as they know that our social distancing and hygiene practices are there to protect them,” Kylie said.

“As a bonus, we’ve seen a reduction in staff illness generally, resulting in fewer sick days.”

The requirement for a health management plan which has been submitted to Queensland Health extends to all agribusinesses, commercial fishing and processing operations, and agriculture labour hire companies.

Working covid-safe at Templeton Ginger

Further information

For more information about employing seasonal workers in agribusiness and commercial fisheries, including workplace health management plans, visit Department of Health website or Business Queensland website.

For information about keeping your workplace safe, healthy and clean during COVID-19, visit WorkSafe website.