Today, the Workers Compensation Amendment (Consequential COVID-19 Matters) Regulation 2020 commenced to support recent legislation that introduced a presumption for some COVID-19 affected workers.
 
The presumption means that workers in prescribed employment who are diagnosed with COVID-19 are automatically presumed to have contracted the disease in the course of their employment. These workers have a presumptive right to workers compensation. 

US research published in 2020 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has found that several behaviours that contribute to higher health risks — such as smoking and binge drinking — are more prevalent among construction workers than workers in other industries.
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Construction work can be physically demanding, with workers exposed to many chemical and physical workplace hazards, such as falls, which account for about one-third of the total number of fatalities in this industry. Previous studies suggested that construction workers who exhibit certain health risk behaviours may be more likely to experience work-related injuries. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers investigated how common health risk behaviours are among this workforce.

​The Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) has setup this webpage to assist our members with addressing the growing and looming issues of prolonged economic impacts, disruption to the construction industry, and health and wellbeing of the Australian population in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
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Planning, collaboration, and leadership for the industry is urgently needed to mitigate the very real possibilities that threaten the construction industry, a major driver of the Australian economy. Further, with the growing number of people infected or staying away from workplaces due to fear of infection or restrictions on trade, this is having a major impact on the construction industry and the Australian workforce as a whole.

What is the Blueprint?
Following the 2016 Construction Industry Mental Health Roundtable initiated by MATES in Construction and Beyond Blue, The Blueprint was developed to address significantly higher rates of suicide and mental health issues amongst our workers when compared with the general population.

The roundtable group, comprised  of mental health and industry representatives, adopted a shared vision of where the future industry should be positioned around mental health and suicide, with the strategy necessary to achieve changes including workplace cultures and legislation. 

Safe Work Australia has provided new resources to reduce prolonged sitting when working from home.
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The authority says that one of the most significant factors impacting work health and safety when working from home is prolonged sitting.

All businesses and organisations in NSW need to protect staff, workers, customers and visitors from COVID-19. This applies whether your business has stayed open, or is reopening as restrictions are eased.
 
Having a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place can help you keep track of what you need to do in your business or organisation.