Employers in high-risk industries including meat and seafood processing, supermarket and food distribution centres are required to conduct surveillance testing, with a new workplace saliva testing trial beginning next week in Victoria.
The Victorian Government is ramping up surveillance testing.
Currently under the Department of Health and Human Services Workplace (Additional Industry Obligations) Directions, employers in high-risk industries including abattoirs and meat processing, poultry processing, seafood processing, supermarket distribution centres and temperature controlled perishable food distribution centres must conduct surveillance testing of all workers that are usually working on the premises.
The DHHS requirement is that 25 per cent of the workforce is tested each week with the aim of getting 100 per cent of workers tested over a four-week period with testing kicking off this week.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Thursday October 8 that increased surveillance testing would help paint a clearer picture of where coronavirus is in the state, so we can safely and sustainably reach a COVID Normal.
A new workplace saliva testing trial is also taking place at Hazeldenes poultry farm from next week, where 200 tests will take place each week.
The pilot program – a partnership between the Victorian Government and the Doherty Institute – was recently rolled out across three locations in Bendigo, Dandenong and the Melbourne CBD and carried out by Victoria Police to test 1,000 workers.
“Thank you to every single regional Victorian for all your hard work in this fight against coronavirus. We’re doing everything we can — including ramping up testing and proactive engagement with businesses to slow the spread,” Minister for health, Martin Foley said.
DHHS will assess future requirements for surveillance testing based on a risk assessment and advise industry of any changes.
“For the purposes of the surveillance testing requirements, workers mean both employees and workers engaged through labour hire. It does not include contractors performing temporary work on-site,” The department states on its website.