Managing Coronavirus Exposure Risks: Travelling In Vehicles

Researchers are still learning about COVID-19, its long-term effects and emerging variants.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that can result in mild to very severe illness and death.

The main way COVID-19 spreads is when a person with COVID-19 exhales droplets and/or aerosol particles containing the virus. This can happen when they breathe out, cough, sneeze, speak, shout or sing.

Exhaled droplets range in size. Large droplets settle out of the air faster than they evaporate. Small droplets remain suspended in the air for longer periods. Very fine droplets may contain the virus, and can stay suspended in the air for anywhere from minutes to hours. Small droplets and particles are often referred to as ‘aerosols’.

Transmission of COVID-19 can occur in a number of ways, and possibly in combination.

1. Airborne transmission

This occurs when a person inhales aerosols that may contain viral particles that are infectious.

While the risk of transmission is highest when close to an infectious person, air currents can disperse small droplets and particles over long distances. These may be inhaled by people who have not had face-to-face contact or been in the same space with the infectious person. Airborne transmission is more likely to occur in indoor or enclosed settings that are poorly ventilated, crowded, or both. In these kinds of settings, the virus may remain suspended in the air for longer and increase the risk of spread as people tend to spend longer periods in indoor settings.

2. Droplet transmission

Transmission occurs where exhaled droplets from a person with COVID-19 come into contact with another person's mucosal surfaces (nose, mouth or eyes). The risk of transmission is highest when close to the source, where the concentration of these droplets is greatest.

3. Contaminated surfaces transmission

People may also become infected by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by the virus, and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth without cleaning their hands.

There may be a risk of exposure when employees travel together in a vehicle or share use of vehicles.

Employers must provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risks to the health of employees. This includes preventing risks to health, including psychological health, and safety associated with potential exposure to COVID-19.

Employees must take reasonable care of their own and others' health and safety in the workplace and cooperate with their employer's actions to meet the requirements of each state's WHS/OHS Act and WHS/OHS Regulations.

This guidance details the recommended arrangements for travelling in light vehicles (less than 4.5 tonnes) for work purposes, for example travelling between or within worksites. It does not cover employees travelling to and from work.

Austraffic must identify hazards and, if necessary, assess the level of risk to the health of employees from exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) at their workplace. This must be done in consultation with workers, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Sources of risk of employee exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) may include:

• travelling when displaying common symptoms listed above
• travelling close together in a vehicle
• recirculated air conditioning
• time spent in the vehicle
• high-touch surfaces such as door handles, seats, seat belts, headrests, steering wheels and fuel filler lids and caps when re-fuelling
• handling belongings, tools and equipment in and out of vehicles
• shared keys, iPads or touch screens, keypads, customer signing devices, any kind of written log books with shared pens, as well as equipment control panels

Physical distancing

Physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres needs to be implemented wherever possible. If it is not possible, then distance between people needs to be maximised, and all other practicable control measures listed below need to be used.

If staff are able to work from home then they are encouraged to do so.

If travel cannot be eliminated, Austraffic will review and adjust systems of work to ensure the number of workers travelling in and sharing vehicles at the workplace is kept to a minimum. For example:

• use additional vehicles to allow fewer workers per vehicle per trip
• stagger schedules for travelling between workplaces or undertaking work-related travel
• reduce the number of different employees using each vehicle – consider allocating vehicles to individuals (for example, keep drivers in the same truck) or small groups of workers, to reduce the risk of cross-contamination
• structuring work schedules so that employees are working in 'bubbles' and minimising exposure across the workforce

All projects/surveys will have a Job Safety Environment Analysis and corresponding Safe Work Method Statement completed on Form RM22 which will include assessments of COVID-related risks and physical distancing requirements.

To achieve physical distancing, numbers will be limited to one person per vehicle trip where possible. If that is not possible, numbers of workers in a vehicle per trip will be minimised. When minimising numbers, Austraffic will take into account:

• the size of the vehicle, the number of rows of seats, and how distances can be maximised in the space (for example, the driver with a passenger sitting in the back)
• the duration of the trip
• the additional control measures in this guidance

Clear guidance and instruction will be provided to employees on the requirements relating to physical distancing in the types of vehicles used.

If more than one worker is to travel together in a vehicle, then the vehicle will be adequately ventilated for the duration of the trip, for example by setting the air conditioning to external (rather than recirculated) airflow, and/or keeping windows slightly open if practical.

If control measures introduce new health and safety risks, these must also be managed. Physical distancing measures may mean:

• work vehicles are on the road more frequently
• more workers are driving and for longer periods than usual (if driving by themselves)

Because of this, Austraffic has reviewed its procedures and policies for vehicle maintenance and driver safety to ensure they are effective and address all OHS risks that arise when workers drive for work purposes (such as driver fatigue).

Hygiene

• Consider driver and occupants using and returning to the same seating positions in vehicles that are used over a work shift. This includes limiting the rotation of drivers, unless on longer trips.
• Ensure all workers practise good hygiene, including washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, coughing and sneezing into a tissue or their elbow or upper sleeve and avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth.
• Provide alcohol-based hand sanitiser in all vehicles.
• Workers should wash or sanitise their hands before and after each vehicle use.
• Provide sealable bags in the front and back of vehicles where appropriate to enable hygienic disposal of rubbish such as used tissues immediately after use. Workers should use hand sanitiser after they dispose of their waste and take their rubbish bags with them to dispose of when they leave the vehicle.
• Where possible, workers need to load and unload their own belongings, tools and equipment.
• Workers should avoid eating in vehicles.
• If refueling vehicles, sanitise hands before and after handling fuel pumps and after exiting the petrol station.