In my role as Group HSE Manager at Probuild, I was fortunate enough to work closely with Michael Paynter in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael is the Construction Industry COVID-19 Industry Liaison Officer and has been instrumental in the development of the Industry OHS COVID-19 Guidelines.
What is the Building in Construction COVID-19 Industry Liaison Officer role and how did it come about?
I was approached through an industry contact, Peter Parkinson who chairs the Building Industry Disputes Panels. Peter has connections broader than the disputes board within the industry and he was aware that the industry was looking for an experienced operator who could assist with liaison between the Department of Health and Human Services and Building and Construction Industry Stakeholders (Unions and Industry Associations).
For the past 40 years I have been working with many of the building industry stakeholders in the industrial relations space. Given my knowledge, trust, experience and relationships within the industry, I naturally seemed like a suitable fit for the role.
Being the Liaison Officer means you have to interact with a lot of people - just how many stakeholders would you be dealing with on a daily basis?
The amount of people I am engaging with varies on a daily basis, depending on what the day throws at me.
A typical day would include a zoom call with key stakeholders in relations to policy and adapting to changing circumstances as it relates to the Building and Construction Industry COVID-19 OHS Guidelines.
I am then generally answering questions from builders as they relate to the implementation of the guidelines.
Finally and on occasions I will then be responding to any positive COVID-19 cases that have been reported on Building and Constructions sites.
You mentioned the Building and Construction Industry COVID-19 OHS Guidelines. What is this and how were they developed?
With input from key industry stakeholders, myself, health and safety experts, building contractors, and unions, a small expertise working group was formed. The working group worked in advance for the industry, developing defensive and responsive mechanisms to allow for the safe operations of construction sites during COVID-19.
The guidelines are ahead of prevailing practices, with the working group continually finding new ways to do things, for example contact tracing and temperature testing. The guidelines have created a path as to how to respond to COVID-19 with the industry.
A copy of the guidelines are available here.
What do you think has been the biggest challenge for the construction industry during the pandemic and how has the industry adapted?
The biggest challenge was to overcome long held prejudices between some of the unions and industry associations and to rebuild the relationships. Given the circumstances this has been done very quickly and without adversity.
Over the past six months I have seen the CFMEU in particular work collaboratively with the MBA to build common procedures and practices for the industry. In the past this might not have been the case. Furthermore, what in the past may have been an adversarial relationship between the MBA and larger builders has not existed in this situation. Any tension seems to have disappeared and everyone is connecting well.
Naturally and not unexpectedly the larger builders have had resources to respond better and manage the evolving nature of COVID-19 on sites.
It would be fair to say at the start of this year if someone said there would be temperature testing on site, sign in protocols, health assessments on construction sites . . . people would have resisted this. How has the industry worked together to quickly implement what some would label controversial controls?
Let's add face masks to that list as well. I could not have imagined wearing face masks on site, yet they are being worn with exemplary compliance.
Through the unqualified support of Unions and Industry Associations, all parties have been totally united and accepting of the new requirements. Employers have been able to work collaboratively with all parties to implement the requirements of the industry guidelines and the requirements of the Department of Health and Human Services.
There has been very little resistance from the workforce, there is generally a good feeling around the industry, especially now in Victoria. People see themselves as fortunate to be working, and there is an appreciation of the guidelines and a good acceptance of what needs to be done.
Since the start of the pandemic how many cases of COVID-19 has there been on building sites in Victoria? When there is a reported case what is your involvement?
I know exactly how many there are, as at today [7th September] 140 cases have been reported to me on Victorian building and construction sites.
Upon notification of a positive case, my role is to assist construction companies with the process and to liaise with the Department of Health and Human Services.
The person who is reported as positive is under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services as it relates to isolation, testing and resumption of work.
Specifically in my role, there are two tasks which I carry out.The first one is to conduct a risk assessment on what needs to be undertaken as it relates to the cleaning of the site. This is undertaken by reviewing the workplace mapping, where the worker was working, what amenities did they eat in, etc., then we determine what areas require a deep clean and if the construction site needs to be shut down.
The second role I facilitate is to help identify any close or other contacts the infected may have come into contact with. This is a significant process. To put this into perspective, any one who is identified as a close contact needs to be put into isolation for 14 days. It is quite an onerous task identifying people, knowing that they will have to stay away from their family and work because they might be incubating the virus. It's quite a responsibility to do this, because you don't want them to infect others and you are making decisions that impact them and their families. Now I don’t make the ultimate and final decision with this, this information is passed onto the Department of Health and Human Services to assist them with making the final decision.
What do you think has attributed to such low numbers and minimal clusters within the industry?
Put simply, the broad and good compliance to the industry guidelines. The guidelines are really our roadmap for minising COVID-19 within our industry.
We have had minimal clusters occur, particularly in comparison to other industries. Where we have experienced clusters, it is evident there has been a breakdown of the guidelines.
The workplace health and safety representatives have been extraordinary in supporting and monitoring the compliance to the guidelines. Without their support we wouldn’t have seen this much success, they really are a key part of the industry success.
Tell me about the on site COVID -19 testing - what is it, how does it work, how many tests have been undertaken?
This type of testing is an asymptomatic target strategy to see what degree of infection is within the industry at any one point in time.
The proactive testing is organised and funded by Incolink, an industry worker funded scheme which has a wellbeing portfolio. Incolink is a fully accredited medical service that conducts testing for COVID -19 on building and construction sites across Victoria.
The testing that is being conducted on building and construction sites differs from those testing sites available within the community. It differs because it's asymptomatic testing, meaning that you don't have to have symptoms to be tested. To date 16,000 construction workers have been tested and there have only been five positive cases.
Initially the uptake on sites varied, however once the second wave hit, we noticed an increase in the amount of people participating in the testing program.
What do you think the future of construction will look like? Do you think some of the interventions will remain post a vaccine, for example?
I do think they will remain. The industry has adapted really well to what we needed to do to continue to operate safely during this pandemic. That aside, these changes just make sense to keep in place.
Forget about COVID-19 for the moment, and think about the common cold and general flu, can you imagine that we would go back to an unhygienic lunch room or crowding around lift waiting areas, or having everyone start and finish at the same time? I just can't see the industry reverting back.
The relationship between unions and industry associations will remain. I see these relationships being so strong now, particularly as they have been forged so well during challenging times. We will see some real benefits from the transformation of these relationships way beyond what they have ever been.
Now a little about you:
What is one thing you have enjoyed about COVID–19? I feel what I am doing is important and useful to people.
Have you learnt anything new during COVID-19? I have never been good at working in a team, I have been too independent. The nature of this role has required me to work in a team and I've seen the value in it. I can see how results have been achieved as a team that couldn't have been achieved as an individual.
Have you kicked any habits? I wouldn't have been prepared to.
When we return to normal, what is one thing you are going to change in your workplace? I would change nothing. I might get a stand up desk!