COVID-19 advice for businesses
Food Businesses, Licensed Premises, Sport & Recreation Facilities, Beauty & Personal Care Services, Aquatic Facilities & Lodging Houses
The City’s Health Services receives regular updates from the WA Department of Health, on the evolving nature of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic situation in WA. We understand this is a difficult time for all and we want to support you as best we can in providing clear guidance and information with regards to the restrictions.
The information provided here is relevant for Phase 4 of the WA Government's COVID-19 WA Roadmap for easing of restrictions. For further information, please visit the WA Government (COVID-19 coronavirus) or the WA State of Emergency Directions websites.
Alternatively, you can contact the City's Health Services on 9273 6000 or email mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
WA Roadmap: Phase 4
What has changed in Phase 4?
- existing maximum gathering limits for venues and the 100/300 rule will be removed and venues will just need to comply with the 1 person per 2 square metre rule
- where a venue holds more than 500 patrons, staff will be included in the maximum capacity as calculated by the 2 square metre rule
- physical distancing must still be maintained where possible as well as good personal hygiene practices
All reopening businesses are required to complete a COVID Safety Plan to ensure the health and safety of staff and the community. Lets all do our part to ensure a COVID Safe Vincent!
If you have questions about your COVID Safety Plan or are unsure about how many dine-in customers you can accommodate in Phase 4, please contact the City's Health Services on the above contacts.
Is your business reopening in Phase 4?
You must self-complete a COVID Safety Plan for your business prior to re-opening and have it available for inspection upon request by an Authorised Officer. If your business has multiple premises you must prepare a COVID Safety Plan for each premises. Head to the WA Government website for further information.
Did you reopen in earlier phases and want to increase your capacity?
If you already have a COVID Safety Plan for your business, you should review new guidelines and update your COVID Safety Plan accordingly. You may be able to increase your venue’s capacity which can be reflected on your COVID Safety Plan Certificate.
Tailored guidelines and plans have been developed for:
My business never closed. How can I ensure a COVIDSafe environment?
Premises that were not required to close under directions made under the Emergency Management Act are not required to complete a COVID Safety Plan, however we strongly encourage you to do so by following the new guidelines and use the template.
Food Businesses & Licensed Premises
What do the Phase 4 changes mean for my business?
From Saturday 27 June, the following is required:
- Complete a COVID Safety Plan prior to reopening or expanding beyond takeaway. This should be completed by the person responsible for the business premises. The COVID Safety Guidelines will help you complete your plan
- Display a COVID Safety Plan certificate (you'll find this in the plan)
- Maintain a strict minimum of 2 square metres per person
- If the venue can hold more than 500 patrons, then staff need to be included in the maximum capacity calculation using the 2 square metre rule
- Maintain hygiene and frequent cleaning
- Ensure staff have completed the AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course
- Carefully manage waiting areas to ensure physical distancing
- For licensed venues, alcohol can be served without a meal and unseated
What are the new dine-in capacities?
- The 100/300 dining rule has been removed and venues now are only required to comply with the 2 square metre rule
- Where the venue can hold over 500 patrons, staff must be included in the maximum capacity calculation using the 2 square metre rule
What training must my staff complete?
It is a requirement to complete the AHA COVID-19 Hygiene Course for the Hospitality and Tourism Industry.
The City recommends all businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry make themselves familiar with this training requirement, and complete the course as soon as possible.
Food Safety Information
Takeaway and home delivery
The City understands a number of you have transitioned to providing their menu for takeaway or delivery. Food safety during this time is still crucial - it is important that growth of food poisoning microorganisms is minimised. Remember you customers are your business and you need to keep them safe!
Temperature control
Consider your delivery area:
- UberEats, Deliveroo, Menulog and the like restrict the delivery area so the food remains hot or cold upon service to the customer, which minimises the time out of temperature control to consumption by the customer.
- If you are offering delivery by utilising your staff, then you should also restrict the delivery area so the travel time is no more than 15 minutes for a single order.
- If your staff are delivering several orders so there may be an extended travel time for your last delivery, you will need to use cold storage such as eskies and ice bricks or insulated bags for hot food.
- Cold foods must be stored below 5ºC and hot foods kept above 60ºC.
Protection from contamination
- Packaging should be food grade and stored in clean sealed containers to prevent dust, dirt, foreign objects and pests from contaminating it.
- Food should be delivered in sealed food grade containers or boxes in a clean bag.
- The delivery vehicle should be in a clean and sanitary condition.
- Keep cups should not be accepted
Labelling
If you are manufacturing foods that are not ready-to-eat such as frozen or fresh meals or shelf stable items like preserves you will need to consider the labelling requirements under the Food Standards Code Chapter 1.2. To assist in interpretation please refer to the FSANZ User Guides.
Do I need to have a label?
The FSANZ User Guide Overview and Application of Food Labelling and Information Requirements can be used to assist in determining if a label is required. There are some exemptions that apply to ‘food for retail sale’ (refer to B3 on page 22 and the examples on pages 32 and 33 for determining when a label is required).
What might my label need to include?
Some things you need to consider including in your labels:
- Name of food
- Date marking (i.e. shelf life testing as determined by a NATA accredited laboratory)
- Ingredient list include mandatory declarations (e.g. allergens)
- Nutrition information
- Name and business address (must be a physical address where the product is manufactured, not a postal address)
- Lot identification
Food handler hygiene
It is now, more than ever, critical that all food handlers at your premises engage in good hand hygiene practices. Food handlers must wash their hands, using liquid soap and drying with single use towel:
| Before Starting Work |
Before handling cooked or ready-to-eat food |
| After handling or preparing raw food |
After handling waste |
| After cleaning duties |
After using the bathroom/toilet |
| After blowing nose, sneezing, coughing or using a tissue |
After smoking, eating or drinking |
| After handling money, before performing another task |
After doing anything else that could make your hands dirty, like handling garbage, touching animals or children, or cleaning duties |
Please see this link for more guidance on proper handwashing technique.
Health of food handlers
If food handlers are experiencing cold and flu-like symptoms, they should be staying home.
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever; flu-like symptoms, such as coughing or sneezing; difficulty breathing; sore throat; fatigue.
Food handlers must tell their supervisors (a log should be recorded), not handle food and should only return when a doctor says they are well enough (usually 48 hours after symptoms have stopped). Please note, this 48hour guidance does not apply to those in self isolation or quarantine.
Please see this link for further information on self-isolation and quarantine.
Further information on food handler hygiene requirements under the Food Standards Code can be found here.
Cleaning and sanitising
Ensure food contact equipment, such as kitchen benches, knives, chopping boards, pots, and meat slicers etc., as well as eating and drinking utensils, are in a clean and sanitary condition. For more information on cleaning and sanitising please see this link.
Additional cleaning and sanitising measures may include:
- Making hand sanitiser available and visible on premises;
- Sanitising seats, tables etc. after every use;
- Regularly clean all frequent touch surfaces like door handles, bathrooms, etc; and
- Carry out repeated and constant general cleaning and emptying of waste bins frequently.
Skills and knowledge
We would encourage you to have all food handlers at your premises complete the FoodSafe online course and display their certificate to your patrons to see, as a demonstration of your commitment to ongoing food safety and handler hygiene.
Please find below the link to a free online food safety course. It is requested at the completion of the course, you provide the City a list of food handlers (full name) who have completed the course.
Course link - https://www.ehawa.org.au/events/category/foodsafe-online-43
Your Unique Code - FSVINCE353
Where can I find more information?
Sport & Recreation Facilities
What are the changes in Phase 4?
From Saturday 27 June:
- gyms are permitted to operate unstaffed
- regular cleaning must be maintained
- the 2 square metre rule still applies as well as physical distancing requirements
- if your premises is a public building, approved by the City under the Health (Public Buildings) Regulations 1992, please ensure you do not accommodate more than this approval allows.
Beauty & Personal Services
What must I do to reopen?
For beauty & personal care services that plan to reopen, you will need to:
- Complete a COVID Safety Plan before reopening. Read the COVID Safety Guidelines to help you complete your plan.
- Display a COVID Safety Plan certificate.
- Maintain at least 1.5 metres between each staff member and client and every other staff member and client. This may mean activating every second station in your business (this distance is not required between the staff member and client when providing a service).
- Maintain hygiene and frequent cleaning.
- Maintain client attendance records for contact tracing. Consider requiring clients to make appointments (online if possible) to help with taking client attendance records and contact details.
For businesses like hairdressers and barbers who have not closed during this time, we encourage you to complete a COVID Safety Plan to ensure you are providing a safe environment for your customers.
Aquatic Facility Operators
What does Phase 4 this mean for aquatic facilities?
From Saturday 27 June, swimming pool restrictions have been removed, however adequate cleaning and hygiene measures should be maintained.
Before a public aquatic facility can reopen, chemical and microbiological water sampling must be undertaken by the City's Health services and a satisfactory result returned. The time frame from sampling to receipt of results from the laboratory is approximatley 4 days so you will need to plan ahead. Please contact the City’s Health Services on 9273 6000 to arrange sampling by an Environmental Health Officer.
Lodging House Operators
What does Phase 4 mean for my lodging house?
Common areas in your lodging house now may be used with a 2 metre square per person capacity.
Hygiene and physical distancing precautions should still be followed:
- Hand hygiene products and suitable waste receptacles must be made available, with frequent cleaning and waste disposal taking place.
- If available, supply hand sanitiser for guests to use in common areas.
- Promote physical distancing of 1.5m between persons in all shared spaces within your lodging house.
- Monitor lodgers for signs of illness and refer them to a local GP/COVID-19 clinic as necessary.
- Implement a thorough and frequent cleaning program with disinfectant surface sprays/sanitisers including all shared surfaces, cupboard and door handles, taps and rubbish bins (if they aren’t operated by a foot pedal).
Guests in isolation:
- must stay in their room (they must be in an single occupancy room, cannot be a shared room). The only time they should leave the room is to seek medical attention.
- must not use common facilities of the lodging house (such as kitchen, dining, lounge, laundry, gymnasium and outdoor areas).
- must avoid contact with other lodgers and staff and not have visitors.
- must practice good hand hygiene.
- can have items delivered to them.
A fact sheet on self-isolation / quarantine can be found here.
How can I protect staff?
Staff should maintain a safe distance of 1.5m from all guests where possible and avoid shaking hands.
Cleaning staff:
- should avoid close contact with guests who have self-isolated.
- should wear gloves while cleaning, and use alcohol hand rub before and after wearing gloves
- may wish to wear a surgical mask while cleaning the room.
- may inquire if people are well, and ask them to put on a surgical mask.
Staff should declare to management if they feel unwell and go home or seek medical assistance as necessary.