PRINTERS URGED TO GET PROACTIVE WITH RATS
Industry associations say that while rapid antigen tests for the coranvirus are not mandated for businesses, they can be useful, but need to be accompanied by accurate record keeping, with printers urged to get proactive.
Walter Kuhn, vice president of PVCA, said, “It is important that every business gets on the front foot to ensure that their staff are looked after, and then they can continue to operate without having to be shut down because they’ve got a Covid outbreak in their environment.
"From the association's point of view, we encourage businesses to take a proactive approach regarding RATs. It would be ideal if all business would keep some on hand, to ensure that staff can be tested so that a business doesn't become a hotspot for people to catch it.
"It's just about being proactive and taking preventative measures, rather than reactive after the event."
Charles Watson, GM – IR, Policy & Governance at TRMC, sees a bigger picture, he said, "If a company is going to make them available to staff to use, great. But smaller businesses in particular may not necessarily afford to have the protocols and processes in place to undertake and record the testing unlike larger businesses and other industries, which have nurses on site performing the tests."
"But if it's possible for a small business to offer them to employees, then that's great."
Watson believes that the move by the federal government to make the tests tax deductible to individuals, and exempt from FBT for businesses, is a good thing. But once businesses have the tests, he believes that it is vital for businesses' to put the relevant safety protocols and processes in place.
He said questions that need to be addressed and relate particularly to small and medium sized printers include, "Will the test be provided to employees to test themselves off site? What protocols will businesses have in place if it's a positive test? And, what will they as a business need to do from there?".
In short, he believes that it will be up to each individual business to work out what's best for them in terms of keeping RATs packs on hand, and testing staff.Kunh says that several questions will be addressed in a seminar the PVCA is putting together, which will look at some of the issues on the subject, including what procedures should be put into place when staff test positive.
"It’s a proactive approach to an issue that may be ongoing for a number of months if not years to come."