HRIA issues return to work guidance

With the impact of the COVID-19 crisis being felt globally, the hire industry has been adversely affected to varying degrees. But there’s cause for optimism, according to the OECD’s most recent economic outlook, which identifies Australia as one of the least impacted economies from the pandemic. Whilst the events sector of the hire industry was immediately and heavily impacted, hire businesses supplying the construction sector have seen a more moderate initial impact.

HRIA National Office up and running

All HRIA employees are now back working from the national office, having worked tirelessly to support members from home during the lockdown.

As restrictions ease, there is a degree of uncertainly both in terms of economic conditions and longer-term public health implications. As this crisis has progressed, HRIA members and the wider hire industry have either chosen to remain open or are now looking towards reopening their operations. Where staff are required to interact with other personnel for customer collections and/or deliveries, implementing appropriate measures to minimise the spread of infection, including social distancing and hygiene arrangements, is essential to protect us all.

With the recent relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions surrounding business operations, social distancing and public gatherings, there still remains a strong government mandate to ensure businesses take appropriate steps to minimise the risk of spread of COVID-19 and protect the wellbeing of their employees. All Australian Governments have agreed to a set of National COVID‐19 Safe Work Principles to ensure that our workplaces are healthy and safe.

HRIA publishes back-to-work guidance

In response, the HRIA has created a COVIDSafe Guide to assist hire and rental operations. The objective of the guide is to provide practical guidance on how to minimise exposure to COVID-19 for staff, customers and other site visitors. This guide was designed to assist those reopening premises either following closure as well as for those who have remained open.

The guidance is tailored to HRIA members and is available in the member portal: Member portal 

Not all considerations included will apply to every operation or facility type, however the guide is intended to help members develop or revise the COVIDSafe plans that will work best in their own situation. The association recommends tailoring the guidance to comply with any local requirements. And where government guidance is more stringent than this document, the government guidance should always be followed.
The information detailed in Version 1 is based on government information available as of Wednesday 3rd June 2020. Further changes may occur; as new information and updates become available the HRIA will seek to keep members updated.