Some information about the 5-day industry lockdown

Effective February 12th at 11:59pm, the Victorian Government imposed a 5-day industry lockdown due to the new COVID-19 cases found in the state. According to a media statement from MBV CEO Rebecca Casson, the vast majority of the building and construction industry will not be able to push through with their projects on worksites. But there are exceptions. Exempted from the new rules include critical infrastructure projects such as road projects. Emergency housing repairs are also exempted and builders. Builders involved in these must make their sites secure and safe before the site closes.

CEO Casson adds that this lockdown represents the strictest so far because this is the first time that the wider industry will have to stop for a few days. This safety precaution is necessary to ensure the industry will not have to endure this lockdown for more than 5 days because it will have serious ramifications on the economy.

As part of the safety precautions, here are some of the following rules to be noted of and to follow:

- Building and construction industry is closed and is a full lockdown to be a shorter period with maximum effect;

Exceptions:

- Check out the projects that have listed as State Critical Infrastructure Projects that will be exempted from the temporary shutdown;

- Construction and maintenance for the purpose of national security & defence;

- Projects urgently required for the purposes of sustaining health, safety, and well-being of humans;

- Real estate auctions may continue but only online;

- Work can continue for essential amenities up to the point where they can be available for use;

- Unoccupied premises may continue work only if it meets within the exceptions stated above;

Businesses that include manufacturing, fabrication, or assembly of goods and materials for the building and construction industry are included in the five-day lockdown unless they are deemed essential.

This means those businesses that are essential for the continued operation of:

- A factory or facility that is not able to be shut down without causing damage or loss to plant and equipment, but only those operations that are necessary to prevent that damage or loss;

- Commercial operations that supply goods or service necessary:

- to support any business activity that may be carried out following the government directions;

- or to support the export of goods and services from Victoria. Manufacturing, fabrication, or assembly of goods and materials necessary for or related to supporting defence or security industries. For additional information, check out this article.