Public Interest

COVID19 – what do you need to know?

As Australia’s health ministers meet to discuss Australia’s emergency plans for a potential pandemic, it would be a very rare plumbing contractor who hasn’t heard of COVID19, previously known as the Coronavirus.

It seems inevitable that our industry will be impacted one way or another, directly or through our supply chains.

The key to preparedness is planning.  As crisis preparedness expert Tony Jacques often says: crises are messy and don’t offer quick or easy solutions - that’s what makes them a crisis. 

There’s one lesson that’s universal: businesses that plan and prepare for a crisis will come through healthier than those that don’t.  And here’s the good news. Regardless of what the coming weeks hold for COVID19, the time invested in planning now will help your business though the upcoming seasonal exposure to cold and flu (which are also in the Corona family of viruses).

Preparedness involves understanding risks to your business and having appropriate plans in place to address these

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COVID19 – what do you need to know?

So, what should businesses be thinking about?

  1. Firstly, know what we are dealing with.  Understand the facts and source your information from reputable sources such as government health departments.
  2. Consider your obligation to provide a safe workplace.  Have you run toolboxes on infection control such as good hand and face hygiene? Do you provide appropriate sanitation aids like alcohol hand wash in the workplace and all your vehicles?
  3. Consider the impact if key staff had to be away from work for a few weeks. For example, could relevant staff work from home if necessary and do they have the mobile tech to do this efficiently?
  4. Consider your supply chain, including those essential services you may outsource such as accounting, ICT and legal and subbies.  What plans do these have in place to ensure they can continue to service your business in the event of a crisis?  If there is an interruption to critical product supplies how will this impact your business?
  5. Consider your reputation, especially if your business is customer or public facing.  A Master Plumber point of difference is our members are Expert, Committed & Professional.  Consider arming your staff with the knowledge to reassure customers on the basic hygiene questions they are sure to get and know where to refer customers for further advice. 

Preparedness involves understanding risks to your business and having appropriate plans in place to address these.  This includes having it written down in a document (commonly referred to as a Business Continuity Plan), which is regularly refreshed and rehearsed.

Master Plumbers is closely monitoring daily updates to advice from State and Federal Governments and will keep members appraised.

Peter Daly, CEO, Master Plumbers

Incolink – Grant – FY 2023

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Preparedness involves understanding risks to your business and having appropriate plans in place to address these

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Incolink – Grant – FY 2023

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