COVID – 19

Minimising the risk of exposure to COVID-19

There are steps you can take to minimise your risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus.Delivery drivers are at risk of exposure to COVID-19

The constant travel and daily interactions with different people and workplaces that is required of delivery drivers increases their risk of exposure to COVID-19. You must do everything reasonably practicable to ensure you keep at safe physical distance apart of at least 1.5 metres from other delivery drivers or other persons.

You must implement control measures to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that other measures to address well known work health and safety risks continue to be implemented. This is the case even if implementing control measures result in delays to your delivery schedules.

Managing the risks of exposure to the COVID-19 virus

CLEANING

Frequently clean and disinfect your vehicle including frequently touched surfaces such as the steering wheel, door handles, controls or buttons, seatbelt and keys.
Clean and disinfect your phone or electronic device used to help deliver food or parcels. Disinfect these often by using a lint-free cloth and 70% isopropyl alcohol if you can, or disinfectant wipes.

HYGIENE

Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose with unwashed (or gloved) hands.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet.
Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers with at least 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol as the active ingredient.
Washing body, hair (including facial hair) and clothes thoroughly every day.
Wash your hands after coming into contact with money.
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with a tissue or a flexed elbow. Immediately put tissues in the bin and use hand washing facilities if available or alcohol-based hand sanitiser afterwards.

You should immediately cease providing services if you are:

feeling unwell or displaying symptoms of COVID-19
have been tested for COVID-19 and awaiting results
have been required by health authorities to self-isolate

Stay home if you are sick.

Seek medical advice if you have a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath (call your doctor or healthdirect on 1800 022 222).

PHYSICAL DISTANCING

Maintain a 1.5 metre distance to others (two arm’s length).
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.

If physical distancing measures introduce new health and safety risks (e.g. because they impact communication), you need to identify and manage those risks too.

HOW DO I PHYSICALLY DISTANCE MYSELF WHEN DELIVERING FOOD OR PARCELS TO PEOPLE?

Maintain at least 1.5 metres from other people.
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser before and after handling food deliveries or parcels. If using gloves, make sure you wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser before touching the gloves and once more after taking them off.
Leave the food or parcel at the door then text or use the relevant app to let the recipient know it is there.
If an electronic signature is required, talk to your employer or the business you are working for about implementing no contact deliveries. Otherwise practice good hand hygiene and wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser before and after the delivery and wipe down all equipment, for example, with disinfectant wipes, including the pen and the electronic device used to obtain the signature.

DO I NEED TO WEAR A MASK?

You can be directed to wear a face mask when at work if your employer, following consultation with you, considers it necessary to minimise the risk of you being exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The Australian Government Department of Health does not generally recommend the wearing of face masks by healthy people in the community. However, there may be occasions when health authorities in your state or territory recommend that the general public wear face masks where there is community transmission and physical distancing is difficult to maintain. The main benefit of wearing a mask is to protect other people. You can find information about the recommendations and directions about face masks from the Australian Government Department of Health and health authorities in your state or territory.

Your employer must provide you with training and instruction on how to wear, remove and dispose of the mask you are required to wear before fitting the mask and after taking it off. You must complete and comply with the training and instruction provided as far as reasonably practicable.

Implementing the above steps of good hygiene, physical distancing and regular cleaning is an effective way to minimise exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

Employer and Provider duties

Your employer or the platform you are registered with must, where possible, implement measures to manage the risk of your exposure to COVID-19. This includes:

putting in place measures to help you keep physical distance;
helping you to maintain a clean work environment (i.e. your vehicle);
providing you with a point of contact to discuss concerns; and
providing you access to support services.

Workers must be consulted during this assessment, when deciding what control measures to implement and the adequacy of facilities, and when proposing other workplace changes as a result of COVID-19.

For more information on the type of measures employers and providers should implement, see the:

Further information and resources

IF YOU ARE FEELING STRESSED AND ANXIOUS ABOUT COVID-19

It is normal to feel stressed during this time. Talk to your employer about your concerns as they may have an employee assistance program that can help you.

You can also contact the following services:

Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14 – lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue – 1800 512 348 – Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing
Headspace – 1800 650 893 – headspace.org.au
Heads Up – headsup.org.au