TWO DAYS TO GET COVID-SAFE PLANS IMPLEMENTED IN VIC

Printers across Victoria are racing to get their Covid-safe plans up and running by midnight tomorrow, as details become clearer on who can do what and when under the stage 4 lockdowns imposed by the government.

The state government is allowing much of the manufacturing industry, including the printing industry, to continue under stage 4 lockdowns, but contingent on the Covid-safe plan being implemented by Friday night.

The two main paper merchants, Ball & Doggett and Spicers, both tell Print21 they have no issues with supply or delivery, and say they will be operating as normal throughout the city and the state.

Sign companies, meanwhile, are facing confusion, with the printing side of their business allowed to function, but the installation side hampered by a ban on metal fabrication.

In other edicts, book, directory, and mailing publishers must work from home, while newspaper and magazine publishers can go to the office.

Victoria now has some of the harshest lockdown measures in the world, as it battles the fallout from its bungled hotel quarantine programme, with forced stay at home orders, business closures, mandatory masks, a 5km travel restriction, and a nightly curfew.

Inspectors are anticipated to make random checks on businesses, and will have the power to close them if Covid-safe is being breached.

Premier Daniel Andrews and the Victoria Covid response team in government placed printing in category 2 of the state's new three category scheme for business during the stage 4 lockdown.

Being placed in category 2 means that print business can remain open and operate as normal, as long as there is a Covid-safe plan in place by 11.59pm on Friday. Category 1 is close completely, category 3 open with restrictions.

Commenting on print being placed in category 2 Andrew Macaulay, CEO at the PVCA said: "In a difficult situation this is really good news. The Victorian state government has listened to industry. We welcome the development."

There are, though, plenty of Victorian businesses that are facing an enforced closure, including much of the hospitality, retail and construction sectors, all of which will have an adverse impact on print, as the state government works to prevent people from mingling with each other.

All workers now  need to be issued with a permit from their employer stating where they work, as well as their name, address and contact details. Andrew Macaulay said: "Our advice to print business owners and managers is make sure you have the paperwork in order, there will be large fines if not."

Print was fearing being bundled into a stage four lockdown the same as New Zealand went through, which saw all non-essential print stop, with the country's biggest publisher Bauer closing its business as a result. Victoria declared a state of disaster at the weekend – essentially a mechanism to enable sweeping powers for government.

Employers organisation PVCA worked with the main print union AMWU to lobby the case for print remaining open directly to the state government, as well as lobbying directly itself, and with other employers associations. Macaulay said, "Print is one of the few industries where the employers association and the union work so well together, and are recognised as doing so."

Both major Australian heatset businesses IVE and Ovato have large print plants in Victoria, which also numbers some of the country's biggest commercial printers, label printers, packaging printers, book printers and trade houses among its community.

The country's other seven states and territories have so far kept a second wave at bay, although the biggest state economy NSW is, according to the government, walking a tightrope. Its treasurer, though, has signalled an unwillingness to close down business.

Under the Stage 4 restrictions, workplaces that remain open must:

* Have a Covid-Safe Plan in place that is regularly updated (unless you are a small business with fewer than five employees)
* Ensure that any workers who can work from home are able to do so
* Collect records of all workers, subcontractors, customers and clients attending the work premises for 15 minutes or longer (certain exemptions will apply)
* One worker per four square metres of enclosed workspace or in shared areas
* Unless an exemption applies, ensure that workers do not work across multiple sites, or for multiple employers
* Ensure that workers are in good health - workers cannot work if they are unwell and employers must not require workers with symptoms to work
* If your worker is unwell, send them home and direct them to be tested. They must stay home until they have their result
* Report any positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) to DHHS, Worksafe, Health and Safety Representatives, and notify your workforce
* Regularly clean your facilities, shared spaces and provide additional cleaning supplies
* Undertake risk assessments for cleaning and the potential closure of your workplace in certain situations