How Melbourne’s public institutions, hotels and offices are keeping people COVID-safe
Magazines have been ditched and cleaning ramped up as businesses overhaul operations.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Melbourne’s hotels, office towers and public institutions have overhauled their operations to keep COVID-safe as people floodback into the city.
The virus-inspired revamp has seen magazines ditched, cleaning ramped up and a ban on accessing the State Library of Victoria’s collection.
Here’s some of the new measures put in place to keep guest, workers and commuters safe.
CROWN TOWERS MELBOURNE
Crown Towers hotel executive general manager Shaun D’Cruz is only too aware of what effect the pandemic can have on the guest experience.
“Occasionally I witness a degree of frustration from a weary guest at the extra COVID processes in place that they need to go through,” he says.
“That said, our guests are usually comforted by the processes we have in place – they want to come away and have a holiday after what has been a tough year for most of us.”
The hotel’s stringent measures include entry screening, random temperature checks and physical distancing protocols across all public areas.
Guest registration cards include COVID-19-related questions, and guests must use hand sanitiser when approaching hotel reception counters.
Hotel rooms and common areas undergo enhanced deep cleaning and sanitisation protocols, while luggage delivery, in-room dining, laundry and dry cleaning services now have contactless pick-up and delivery.
Mr D’Cruz said staff were on rotation 24/7 to ensure all areas including surfaces were safely cleaned.
“All areas across the hotel are serviced with increased schedules of maintenance cleans, and high touch point areas such as escalator buttons and lifts receive an added sanitisation clean in between those,” he said.
Crown Towers is Australia’s first hotel to be awarded Sharecare verification with Forbes Travel Guide.
It joins only 20 hotels globally to be given the prestigious health and safety seal for five-star service that complies with more than 360 expert-validated standards.
Mr D’Cruz said a senior management team was constantly checking the entire complex to ensure the highest cleaning standards, while a COVID-19 response manager had also been appointed.
“During lockdown, we worked hard behind the scenes for this. A lot of work went into building our COVID processes and procedures to ensure the appropriate checks and balances are in place,” he said.
Among other changes at the hotel magazines and other publications are now removed from rooms and replaced with tablets and other digital options.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Victoria’s public transport system has come a long way from the years when carriages were regularly filled with rubbish and the coronavirus pandemic has meant the network is now cleaner than ever.
Every tram is given a deep clean before each service, with staff at the depot wiping and sanitising points of contact such as handrails and grab straps before each journey.
In June, this was enhanced with more people cleaning 300 busy stops across the metropolitan network.
These workers wait at popular areas such as Federation Square, Melbourne University and along St Kilda Rd to sanitise the tram before passengers get on and continue their journeys.
Along the state’s train network, cleaners are regularly visiting Victorian railway stations to sanitise escalator handrails, Myki machines and other touch points.
Each train cab is given a deep clean nightly, while further disinfecting is done by Metro staff at 17 locations at the end of each railway line and on night network trips.
From January next year, a new timetable will add extra trains to off-peak periods to further reduce the risk of outbreaks.
Similarly, bus services are being deep cleaned at key parts of their journey and now allow passengers to board from the back door to reduce overcrowding at each stop.
All of these efforts have been supported by $438.1 million in government funding to cover cleaning costs and offset low patronage.
Victorians are also being asked to do their own part under relaxed coronavirus restrictions, with masks mandatory on all forms of public transport and in taxis and rideshare vehicles.
Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said transport workers had kept the system moving throughout the pandemic.
“Our trains, trams and buses are cleaned after each journey, and receive a deep-clean every night at the end of service,” he said.
“So Victorians can have confidence as they return to the network that public transport is safer than ever.”
80 COLLINS STREET OFFICE TOWER
Monitoring how many people gather in lobbies, and touchless buttons at exit doors are among COVID-19 safety measures being undertaken in a major CBD office tower.
Dexus-owned 80 Collins Street has started welcoming back workers with a raft of procedures and protocols to deal with any coronavirus outbreak.
Dexus has also hired an independent risk and health expert to review and give advice on its processes for all common areas such as lifts and lobby, bathrooms and end-of-trip facilities.
The office block has seen increased cleaning in high-touch point areas like lifts and bathrooms, and a booking system for end-of-trip facilities to monitor and regulate usage, and extra cleaning.
A building traffic management plan aims to improve operational efficiency while maintaining physical distancing in the lobby and retail area.
Other measures implemented include:
HAND sanitiser units put in lift lobbies on every floor.
SIGNAGE on physical distancing and lift capacities.
POPULATION density monitoring in the lobby.
TOUCHLESS buttons at exit doors.
Head of office portfolio at Dexus, Ellie Schwab, said the company was supporting people returning to their offices and getting back to business in Melbourne by providing COVID-Safe environments.
“Our customers are gradually transitioning back to their workplaces as the government restrictions are eased, and will continue to support them during this time,” she said.
Dexus has regularly communicated to customers plans and updates to building operations.
It’s also offering customers additional cleaning packages and providing COVID Safe recommendations for tenants.
Customers also have access to discounted parking at Wilson Parking locations in the CBD.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA
With two million books stored over multiple floors under its majestic dome, the State Library Victoria’s COVID-safe plan is a timely, and essential, read.
“We have a strong COVID-safe plan, which puts the wellbeing of our visitors, staff and volunteers at the forefront of everything we do,” State Library Victoria CEO, Kate Torney, said.
“We’re implementing a number of health and physical distancing measures, including limited timed entry, as well as collection handling protocols and increased cleaning.”
The Library is open for two sessions every day; 10am to 1.30pm, and 2.30pm to 6pm.
Visitor numbers in the library are capped at 389 for each session.
The library’s collections can only be accessed by a librarian, and need to be booked in advance, one day prior, on the State Library Victoria website.
Visitors and staff must wear fitted face masks (unless they have a lawful exception), and maintain a 1.5 metre distance from each other.
All surfaces in public spaces at the library are thoroughly cleaned between uses; and each public computer keyboard and mouse is also cleaned between sessions.
Hand sanitiser is available at the entrance and throughout the library.
More Coverage
Health boss who played key role in Victoria’s Covid response stands down
The Department of Health secretary who became a public figure making tough and controversial decisions during the pandemic will depart amid a leadership reshuffle.
Sutton dragged into legal fight on cancelled Robbie Williams gig
A war of words has broken out about former Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton’s involvement in the decision to pull the pin on Robbie Williams’ Grand Prix concert.