Building and retail sectors blitzed with COVID checks but nightclubs immune

The building and retail sectors have been blitzed with COVID inspections, while clubs heaving with maskless youth are getting a free pass.

Nightclubs are packing in patrons without masks or social distancing, while avoiding safety checks.

Nightclubs heaving with maskless youth are getting a free pass to pump up their jam, with few inspected and none fined since the start of February.

It comes as the Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the hardworking building and retail sectors are blitzed with inspections and handed scores of official WorkSafe notices, demanding they be more covid-safe or risk prosecution.

and just a handful of “verbal warnings” given, despite the fact many are jammed with people flouting official State Government health advice.

A Sunday Herald Sun investigation earlier this month revealed dancefloors in pubs, clubs and bars were packed, with few people socially distancing and almost nobody wearing masks.

While masks are not mandatory, some clubs were not checking QR codes or taking down names, while others proudly posted photos of the dancefloor jam to their social media.

Less than 60 Victorian nightclubs and bars have been inspected over the past few weeks.

But the Victorian Government has confirmed only 56 businesses “within the pubs category” have been inspected and just seven given verbal warnings “for noncompliance with the Chief Health Officer directions”, since February 1 this year.

Pub, bar and nightclub inspections can be conducted by authorised officers from the government health department, Victorian Liquor and Gaming Authority and Victoria Police, with on-the-spot fines of up to $1,652 for individuals and nearly $10,000 for non-compliant businesses possible.

“Victoria Police and authorised officers are continuing to undertake spot checks on hospitality businesses and nightclubs and are assessing compliance with the Chief Health Officer directions – including COVIDSafe plans and the use of QR codes,” a Victorian Government spokeswoman said.

It comes as exclusive WorkSafe data, obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun, reveals

Victoria’s construction and retail sectors have endured thousands of inspections and been slapped with scores of formal improvement ‘notices’ since the pandemic started.

WorkSafe notices are not warnings, but binding documents listing areas which must be fixed in order for businesses to be deemed covid-safe, and avoid prosecution through the courts.

Manufacturing, accommodation and food services and the transport, postal and warehousing industries were also in the top five most inspected sectors, and subject to the most official WorkSafe notices.

People not working from home when they could, failing to wear face masks or other personal protective gear, not social distancing and inadequate hygiene measures and health screenings were among the biggest culprits.

Victoria’s construction and retail sectors have endured thousands of inspections and been slapped with scores of formal improvement ‘notices’.

Failure to have proper procedures in place for dealing with a covid-positive worker also led to WorkSafe notices.

WorkSafe figures shows 185 notices have been issued within the building industry since the pandemic started, including 24 already this year.

Construction, which remained largely operational last year while many other sectors were shut down, has been subjected to more than 5000 covid WorkSafe inspections or inquiries in total.

In retail, 125 WorkSafe notices have been handed out as a result of more than 2500 store visits or investigations, with 11 so far this year.

In total, WorkSafe inspectors have conducted 21,700 coronavirus compliance checks across Victoria, with 14,805 workplace inspections.

And more than 800 notices for noncompliance have been given out.

Inspections of bars, pubs and clubs fall chiefly to other government departments, rather than WorkSafe.

Master Builders Victoria chief Rebecca Casson said it was understandable construction had more WorkSafe visits over the last year than other sectors, “because ours is one of the largest industries and one of just a few that stayed open since the pandemic began”.

“According to WorkSafe’s reporting, the three to four per cent noncompliance figure for our industry over this time is just half the overall average for all industries of seven to eight per cent,” she said.

Australian Retailers Association chief Paul Zahra said retail was the country’s largest private sector employer and it was not surprising so many stores had been inspected, “given the nature of our size and scale”.

“Workplace health and safety is the number one priority for any business, and it’s something retailers take very seriously,” he said.