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Hi Melissa,
Below is the Victorian DH respiratory protection program advice:
Respiratory protection programs implement strategies designed to protect workers from workplace respiratory hazards, including COVID-19. All Victorian health services where health care workers, including volunteers and students on clinical placement, have the potential to be exposed to respiratory hazards are required to establish and maintain an RPP. See Victorian Respiratory Protection Program.
Employers are responsible for:
completing a risk assessment that identifies staff who require P2/N95 respirators
ensuring users of respirators undergo AS/NZS 1715:2009 approved fit-testing. Either qualitative or quantitative methods are valid and appropriate
providing education and training on the safe and appropriate use of selected PPE.
Employees are responsible for:
using PPE as instructed by the employer
reporting any damage, defects, or malfunctioning PPE
reporting any physical or medical limitations that may impact their ability to safely wear PPE.
Discussion on a process of identifying alternative respirator or work arrangements if a worker is unable to wear a mask. Depending on the role and the current public health directions, suitable alternatives may include:
• facilitating the ability to work from home
• offering hypo-allergenic masks
• trying different brands of masks (different materials and chemicals used in manufacturing process)
• redeployment to alternative duties that are not public-facing or do not involve working in a shared space.
I suggest you engage the organisations Human Resource delegate on a case by case basis, for each staff member deemed medically unfit to wear a mask and face shield, to establish a risk assessment and control measures to eliminate or mitigate risks to residents and staff.
Kind regards
Penny
Penny Radalj
IPC Consultant
Baron Health, Victoria
penny.radalj@barwonhealth.org.au