Coronavirus COVID-19 updates

Current as of 15 02 2022

If you are showing COVID-19 symptoms or feeling unwell, do not attend work or class. Seek medical attention and get tested.

 

1.    Symptoms and Testing

 

 

 

 

  • Staff or students cannot attend ATMC or Baxter Institute offices or campuses for any reason if they:
    • Are showing any common COVID-19 symptoms (as per section 1)
    • Are a close contact of someone known to have COVID-19 and have not yet quarantined for 14 days or provided a negative test result (based on guidance from DHHS)
      • If a person refuses to be tested, refer to clause 8
    • Are awaiting COVID-19 test results
    • Have tested positive for COVID-19 and have not yet been given written clearance from DHHS
  • Refer to 8 Positive COVID-19 Diagnosis for information on what to do in the case of a positive COVID-19
  • If a person is showing symptoms or has been a close contact of someone known to have COVID-19, but refuses to be tested for COVID-19, they must quarantine for an additional 7 days (for a total of 28 days) – see DHHS website for further information (VIC) or https://www.health.nsw.gov.au (NSW)
  • Safety Measures
  • Temperature Check – Not APPLICABLE AS AT 30 September 2021

1.11.    Onsite Sign-In

  • All sites and campuses must use the Government QR Code Service
  • The Site specific QR Code must be present and accessible at the entry of every campus and office site, as well as in each room being used

 

  • Staff and students must show their check-in green tick to the assigned COVID Marshall at each
  • Paper Sign-In documents must be made available for those who do not have a smart phone available for QR Code Sign In
    • Paper Sign-In documents must be kept for at least 28 days

2.3   Mandatory Vaccination for Education Sector

  • All staff and Students attending campus must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or hold a Medical Exemption
  • B – As at February 2022 fully vaccinated includes the booster shot in VICTORIA

 

Worker vaccination requirements | Coronavirus Victoria

 

  • All staff must provide a copy of the Government issued vaccination certificate to HR prior to attending campus, this will be retained by HR only

The case will be referred to the Executive Management for determination based on the individual case. Non- vaccinated staff may have to resign from their positions, if the role cannot be done from home.

  • Where a student is not vaccinated they will not be allowed to attend campus. If we return to face to face learning, we will investigate what arrangements if any can be

2.3.2.4 All Medical exemptions must be shown to the Head of HR, the exemption document will be kept on file and the expiry date noted.  Staff with an exemption can attend campus.

It should be noted that students at Baxter that are required to do practical classes may have to forfeit their course fees. Each individual case will be treated accordingly no final decision will be made without fair and reasonable consultation with the student. Personal reasons for not wanting to get vaccinated, that are not covered by a medical exemption, does NOT breach their Human Rights. (Please refer to HRC website: https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/resources/explainer-mandatory-covid-19-vaccinations-and-your-rights/ )

 

 

PPE

1.11.5.    Masks

  • Mask Requirements
    • All staff and students must wear a clean and fitted face mask at all time while on ATMC and Baxter Institute premises where the 1.5 metre distance cannot be maintained

 

  • It is imperative that all staff and students that are doing practical classes in Engineering, Automotive and Early Child Care MUST wear masks at all times. Failure to do so will have the student removed from the campus. Staff will need to provide a reasonable reason for not wearing a
    • Exceptions will be made when the nature of the work or education means that wearing a face mask creates a risk to health and safety
  • Masks worn must be fresh and clean. If a mask becomes damp or soiled it must be

Disposable masks are available for use at each campus

  • Refer to DHHS website for directions on how to safely remove and dispose of a mask
  • Soiled disposable masks must be placed in a pedal bin
  • See clause 12.3 for procedure if bin needs to be emptied
  • Disposable masks are to be made available at all campuses and offices to all staff and students

1.11.6.    Sanitiser

  • Alcohol-based hand sanitiser in contactless stand-based dispensers is to be made available at the following locations:
  • Office or campus building entrance and exit
  • Office or campus reception
  • Classroom entrance and exit

1.11.7.    Screens

  • Perspex screens (or sneeze guards) are to be installed at reception and student services desks, and any other area used as an ‘interview’ space

1.12.    Cleaning

  • Each campus and office must be Professionally Cleaned after every day of use
  • High-Touch surfaces are to be identified for each campus and office, onsite staff are responsible for cleaning high-touch surfaces in their areas throughout the day
  • When emptying l bins used to dispose of used masks and gloves, gloves must be worn, bin liner must be tied shut, and the bin bag disposed of in external bins.

1.13.    Physical Distancing

  • Each campus and office room must calculate and display the maximum allowed persons:
    • Public and office areas must allow 4sqm per person
    • Classroom and Learning areas must allow for a distance of 5m to be maintained
  • Staff and Students must maintain a distance of 5m from all other staff and students
    • Exceptions will be made for industry allowed situations when required for assessment purposes
  • Floor markers and arrows to be used to indicate appropriate distancing and flow of foot traffic
  • Elevators must display – outside and within – the maximum allowed persons in the elevator at any one time

 

2.    Admissions

  • Students currently within Australia (whether Domestic or International) may commence courses according to the standard intake The student must be made aware that delivery modes will be impacted by government restrictions.
  • Students currently offshore may commence a course from home, focusing on the learning and theory components of units delivered online. The student must be made aware:
    • that the student will likely begin their studies online in their home country
    • if there is a portion of the course which must be completed in Australia (cannot be completed online) and, if so, what these units of competencies are
    • that the student will be required to come to Australia on a student visa as soon as they are able
    • that the student must be eligible to apply for a student visa as soon as they are able
    • what will occur if a student’s visa is rejected
  • See ASQA’s International Teaching Issues for more

 

3.    Pre-Commencement (LLN)

  • Pre-Commencement activities to be held online:
    • LLN Interviews will be conducted with students via MS Teams or Zoom

4.    Orientation

  • Until social distancing restrictions are lifted, orientation is to be conducted
    • Students are contacted by the Student Support Team and instructed how to access the MS Teams Orientation Session
    • Please refer to the VET Online Orientation Process, Higher Education Orientation Process and the Professional Year Orientation Process for further information

 

5.    Class Management

5.1.        Theory Classes

  • Theory classes are to be held (Face to face classes will be returning in 2022)
    • An individual Team set up within MS Teams for each Class, allowing for Video Classes to be run, and students to communicate with the trainer and each other using the Chat function
  • Student attendance of Theory Classes to be recorded in VETtrak as ‘Present [Theory]’
  • Curriculum materials are accessed and assessments submitted through the LMS:
    • Learner Guides and learning activities are available through the LMS
    • Project Information can be accessed through the LMS, and completed projects uploaded within the LMS
    • Multiple Choice and Written Question assessment tasks to be completed from home, with the following security settings enabled:
      • Moodle LMS:
        • Password protection used to control when student takes tests
        • Password changed after every use
      • EdFibre LMS:
        • Assessment Task access restricted and approved by trainers

 

  • Following information shared with students via email:
    • Link to LMS
    • LMS Login Details
    • Link to Teams
    • Teams Login Instructions

5.2.        Practical Classes

  • Campus Specific Floorplans developed to control maximum capacity and flow of foot traffic
  • Student attendance of Practical Classes to be recorded in VETtrak as ‘Present [Practical]’
  • Practical classes to be scheduled by Student Services based on priority and course progress
  • Refer to clause 13.1 for density quotas allowed in class

 

6.    Daily Operations

6.1.        Working from home

Staff that are not student facing and can perform their tasks from home may continue to do so. However, in 2022 we will expect all staff back on campus.

  • – Staff that are not fully vaccinated must supply a legal medical exemption certificate to HR, where the staff member has this document, senior management will determine if the role can effectively be done from
  • – If the staff role is deemed not to be effective from home and the staff cannot perform the inherent requirements of the role, the staff member may need to take leave without pay, or alternatively resign their At present we are under a government mandate that all staff and students must be vaccinated.

Sub Clause – Where a medical exemption is provided the certificate must be provided to the Head of HR for staff and to the Senior Student Support – Wellbeing for students. Exemptions are only valid for six months. Persons with a sanctioned medical exemption may attend campus.

  • – If the government mandate on vaccination requirement is lifted the company will assess whether or not to continue to enforce full vaccination requirements.

6.2.        Staff Scheduling

  • Management will nominate persons to return to work onsite in accordance with workplace density limits and based on workforce needs and consultations with employees
  • Flexible start and finish times available for staff to avoid Peak travel times
  • Staff are not to come into the office outside of their rostered onsite days to maintain the density limits
  • Staff must only use their designated work desk when working onsite

6.3.        Head Office Opening Times – Victoria

  • Baxter Institute Reception will be open for student access and certificate collections from 9:00am – 4:00pm Monday – Friday
    • Students must make an appointment for collections
    • Certificate Collection Booking Site – Certificate collection bookings will schedule 10-minute appointments for Level 1
      • Certificates can be posted upon request for a See P26 Fees and Refund Policy

 

  • Baxter Institute Reception will be open for student kit collections from 9:00am – 4:00pm every Thursday
    • Kit Collection Booking Site – Kit collection bookings will schedule 15-minute appointments for Ground floor at 104 Franklin Street
    • A 5-minute buffer is automatically scheduled between each appointment
  • Appointments will allow for only one student collection at a time
  • Staff and students must Sign-In to record presence on campus – see 11 Onsite Sign-In for more information

6.4.        Communications

  • Staff meetings are to be held via MS Teams or Zoom where face-to-face gatherings are not possible
  • Updates to the COVID-19 situation and response are to be communicated via email and announcements on the RTO Website, LMS Home Page, and through MS Teams
  • Proper hand-washing technique signs put up in bathrooms
  • ‘Stop The Spread’ and ‘Keeping Your Distance’ signs (sourced from the Department of Health) put up in all common areas and outside each classroom and office

 

7.    At Risk Person Identified

  • A person identified as At-Risk cannot stay onsite, and must be tested for COVID-19 or obtain doctor clearance before returning to ATMC or Baxter Institute premises
    • Person cannot stay onsite, and must be tested for COVID-19 or obtain doctor clearance before returning to ATMC or Baxter Institute premises
  • If any staff member notices a student or other staff member showing symptoms of being unwell, they should notify a manager or trainer to ask identified person about perceived symptoms
  • If person is determined to be showing COVID-19 symptoms or has a high temperature, they will be asked to return home immediately
  • Person showing symptoms must confirm they have received a negative test result, doctor clearance, or written clearance from the department before returning to ATMC or Baxter Institute premises:
    • If person refuses testing, refer to clause 8
    • Students must notify of test results or clearance to Student Services via email to [email protected]
    • Staff Members must notify of test results or clearance to HR via email to [email protected]
  • Student services will not schedule another onsite class for student until student advises that negative test result, doctor clearance, or written clearance from the department has been received
  • If a student or staff member attends ATMC or Baxter Premises showing COVID-19 symptoms at the start of the day, they may face the following consequences – this does not apply if symptoms develop during the day:
    • Staff Members: Staff member issued with See clause 12.1 for further information
    • Students:
      • 1st Incident: Student not allowed on site, and told not to attend until clearance provided (see clause 1.4)
      • 2nd Incident: Student issued with official warning
      • 3rd Incident: Student faces possible suspension due to misbehaviour

 

8.    Positive COVID-19 Diagnosis

8.1.        Reporting

  • A positive COVID-19 diagnosis must be reported to HR and the COVID Committee
  • Details to collect when a positive COVID-19 diagnosis reported:
    • Test Date
    • Result Date
    • Date affected person last on campus
      • Refer to step 2 Action to be taken for further instructions if student has been present onsite within 14 days.
    • Reporting process for students:
      • Students to notify Student Services
      • Student Services to notify COVID Committee Nominated Officer
      • Nominated Officer to collect required details – see step 1.2 for case summary
      • Nominated Officer to send case summary to COVID Committee
    • Reporting process for staff:
      • Staff member to notify their immediate manager
      • Manager to notify COVID Committee Nominated Officer
      • Nominated Officer to collect required details – see step 1.2 for case summary
      • Nominated Officer to send case summary to COVID Committee
    • If person has been onsite within 7 days of Testing Date, refer to Section 2 Action to be taken – See DHHS website for further information

8.2.        Action to be taken

8.2.2.       Action to be taken Immediately – COVID Committee Nominated Officer

  • If for some reason, person with positive COVID-19 result attends ATMC or Baxter Institute premises, send them home immediately to isolate and await further instructions for DHHS
  • Close the campus or offices visited by person with positive COVID-19 result – send staff and students home to work and study online
  • Notify DHHS by completing the Employer COVID-19 notification form and emailing [email protected]
  • Notify staff and students of a confirmed positive case, advising that contact tracing to be conducted, and further information to be shared as soon as possible
    • Notification to be sent via email to all staff and students stating that a person with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis has attended an ATMC or Baxter Institute premises, and clearly state the impacted campus or office location, and time and date of
  • Notify Work Safe – Not applicable under current reporting requirements February 2022
  • Notify the Building Manager (where appropriate)

 

8.2.3.       Action to be taken within 48 hours

  • Complete the Workplace risk assessment
  • Use Sign-In Records and Attendance Records to identify workplace close contacts by completing the Close contact spreadsheet – obtain attendees list from the Government QR code register
  • Submit the Workplace risk assessment and Close contact spreadsheet by emailing: [email protected]
  • Notify identified close contacts – ask them to self-isolate and recommend they be
    • Advise them that DHHS will also contact close contacts to explain next steps and offer support
  • Deep clean the areas identified in the Workplace risk assessment before re-opening identified campus or office
  • Students and staff not to return onsite until negative test result or written clearance from the department is provided
    • If person refuses testing, refer to clause 8

9.    Staff and Student Support

 

10.         Complaints and Grievances

  • If any person has concerns regarding the impact or administration of this policy, please email the COVID Support Contact [email protected]

 

11.         In Case of Other Emergency

  • If there is another emergency while on ATMC or Baxter Institute premises, standard emergency or evacuation procedures take precedence over the COVID-19 Management Plan

 

12.         Breach of this policy

  • Any breach of this policy may lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment for staff, or expulsion for