Communicable Diseases and Vaccination Policy

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Ground Masters is a leading exploration, civil and domestic earthworks contractor that provides services throughout Western Australia. Ground Masters are sometimes required to travel through remote, Indigenous communities to gain access to project sites. Ground Masters, particularly recognises the inherent dangers that communicable diseases may bring to vulnerable people in these parts of Australia.

The nature of Ground Masters’ business requires that our workforce is interchangeable between clients, locations, project sites and various work or community groups. Therefore, in addition to government directives, our Vaccination and Health management may be influenced by clients’ stipulations, requiring specific vaccinations or immune controls against distinct Communicable Diseases such as Covid 19 and other yet unidentified conditions.

Workers shall be notified in writing, by our Human Resources Manager, of the introduction of any new vaccinations or other preventative regimes, covered by this policy. Such notice will include the time frame(s) applicable for the administration of vaccinations or other time-based stratagem for disease control. New employees will be advised in their ‘Letter of Offer’ of any standing vaccination regimes affecting their employment.

A communicable disease is a pathological threat to health, the contributing agent of which may be passed on, or carried from one person to another, directly or indirectly. Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to, all diseases and conditions deemed reportable by the Department of Health in conjunction with local health authorities.
Ground Masters have developed this Policy to:

 

• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and guidance from the Western Australian Government Department of Health and local health authorities.

 

• Outline the strategies and actions that Ground Masters shall implement to prevent the transmission of a communicable disease within the workplace and community; and

 

• Safeguard the health of our workers and their families; our customers and visitors; vulnerable communities and the population at large from communicable diseases, such as COVID-19 or influenza, that may be reduced by the use of vaccinations.

Employment may be dependent of compliance with Vaccination in which case workers will be required to provide current proof of vaccination or obtain such by specified deadlines. A worker with reasonable cause for opposition to Vaccination will be given the opportunity to supply an approved exemption.

In the case of a worker with approved exemption, Ground Masters shall endeavour to offer alternative activities within the company, if possible. However, where a worker is unable or unwilling to comply with this Policy, Ground Masters are entitled to bring disciplinary action for failure to comply with a lawful directive.

Ground Masters undertake to protect the personal information of their workers according to the current Privacy Act and will seek permission to share to third party if required.

It is the goal of Ground Masters, during any period of quarantine or communicable disease outbreak, to operate effectively and ensure that all services continue to be provided whilst ensuring that workers and the community are kept safe.
This policy shall be reviewed at regular and planned intervals including a review of its effectiveness.

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Robert Wakefield, Managing Director                                       Evan Wakefield, General Manager

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