No training, no mask, but ready to work in COVID-19 hotels
A Victorian quarantine hotel worker turned up for his first day on the job without any infection control and protection training, while other frontline staff are turning up to hotels without masks.
A Victorian quarantine worker turned up for his first day on the job despite having no infection control and protection training, and staff have breached personal protective equipment procedures by entering hotels without masks.
A confidential incident report reveals COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria management discovered on April 27 — three weeks after resumption of the Andrews government’s hotel quarantine program — that the first-day worker deployed to the Novotel IBIS was untrained when he volunteered the fact after his induction.
“After being inducted, at approximately 10.00 hours, (redacted) reported to IPC for fit testing,” the incident report states.
“In discussion with IPC Site Lead, (redacted), the staff member disclosed he did not receive any IPC training through the Learning and Development team prior to being deployed on site.”
The incident report says hotel management were alerted and the new worker was sent home. “IPC training is in the process of being arranged with HR and information requested regarding why staff member did not receive training,” the report states.
The training and other PPE breaches are set out in confidential CQV incident reports obtained by The Australian, detailing a litany of potentially hazardous mistakes by quarantine hotel staff across the system, including straying from safer “green” zones to potentially infectious “red” zones within hotels.
On April 9, at the Pullman on Swanston, a HealthCare Australia employee walked into the hotel without wearing a mask for the second day in a row.
“HCA staff member enter site and walk up to the sign in desk without a surgical mask on. SM (site manager) requested she don a mask immediately; staff member responded that that was what she was doing,” the incident report states.
“SM clarified she must don a mask at the door before entering the building, not just once reached the sign in desk — staff member did not realise this. SM also spoke with two RSOs on the door and reminded them of the process again, that no staff member should be allowed access to the site before donning a surgical mask. If they don’t have one, there is a box of masks at the door … to use before entering any further.
“One of the RSOs (redacted) said this had also happened yesterday with the same staff member and she had been told the correct process then. When SM addressed this with the staff member, she said she did not remember coming in without a mask yesterday and said if she had been informed to don at the door, she would have complied.”
On April 20 at the Four Points Hotel, according to an incident report, an authorised officer entered the “hotel for commencement of shift without surgical mask fitted”.
“AO acknowledges error and is aware of appropriate PPE,” the incident report states.
On March 31, at the Pullman on Swanston, a staff member was standing at the sign-in desk with no surgical mask on. “SM requested the staff member immediately don a surgical mask; staff member complied. SM reminded staff member all staff must be wearing a surgical mask from the moment they enter the site. “Staff member confirmed he had one in his bag but had forgotten to put it on upon entry. RSOs on door/sign-in desk respectively had not realised the staff member was not wearing a mask as they were focused on checking his ID/signing him in. They have been reminded of the rules and assured SM that they would check more carefully from now on.”
The incident reports reveal similar operational breaches are unfolding across the quarantine network, including at the Intercontinental, Stamford Plaza and Holiday Inn.
The incident reports reveal that cleaning staff are also responsible for some infection control breaches. At the Mantra Epping, on April 27, a cleaner broke the rules by carrying rubbish and consent to inspect forms from outside a room into a kitchen area.
Despite the fact the cleaner was wearing the correct PPE, staff were concerned the virus could have spread on the documents, sparking a deep clean.
Read related topics:Coronavirus