LA Services Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Outbreak

16th March 2020 : Our response to the escalating COVID-19 situation has been focused on creating an agile internal ‘action plan’ to support our decision making through this evolving social and business situation.

As we all try to make sense of an ever changing health pandemic landscape, LA Services is guided by two principles; ensuring the health and wellbeing of our people, our clients and our community as our first priority, while minimising the disruption to our operations and employment continuity. We are doing this by ensuring our approach is always based on the expert medical advice of Australian Authorities.

Our COVID-19 Response Position

LA Services Operations and Personnel

• We do not plan to shut down except for Easter (Fri 10th Apr. returning Wed 15th April)
• Employees arriving in Aust. from “midnight 15th March 2020 or think they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus are required to self-isolate for 14 days” as advised by the Aust. Gov. Department of Health¹. If they returned before this date, their case will be managed based on previous advice, and suitable preventative measures   
• Employees who have respiratory, cold or flu symptoms are requested to stay at home
• We ask all employees to apply social distancing and good hygiene practices at all times

Travel and offsite activities, we request

• Personnel limit face to face offsite business meetings, by utilising phone or video conferencing if possible
• Any face to face networking or business event / conference be re-considered
• Utilise private transport if possible, if not support social distancing by travelling outside peak public transport times and apply good hygiene practices, such as hand washing upon arrival at your destination, before commencing work or meeting with others
• International business travel be postponed, and re-consider any national travel
• Employees and supporting contractors to notify management if they intent to travel internationally, so the self-isolation period can be included in leave planning

Visitors, Contractors and Inspectors, we request

• Any individual who has returned from overseas or has been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus abide by the current self-isolation requirements
• Meetings be arranged by phone or video conference for people who are experiencing coronavirus symptoms or generally feel un-well
• All visitors, contractors and Inspectors exercise social distancing² and good hygiene practices where possible when on site for the benefit of both parties

¹ ‘Isolation guidance’ details are outlined in the Australian Government, Department of Health fact sheet, available online at: https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-isolation-guidance_2.pdf [accessed Mar 16, 2020]  

² Keeping approx. 1.5 metres of distance between yourself and other people where possible, avoiding shaking hands, hugging or kissing. (reference: AU Gov. Dept. of Health, available at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/alerts/Pages/coronavirus-faqs.aspx#5-1 [accessed: Mar 16, 2020])