This guidance for bodies corporate and body corporate managers is to provide a way to manage risks in carrying out work orders onsite and comprises:

• a template register for contractors;
• disclosure information to committees about the work order to be carried out;
• committee resolution confirming the work order proceeding; and
• how to deal with the contractor.

Register

The following template can be used as a contractor register (in addition to any other registers used by the scheme for contractors):

^Travel extends to overseas travel, interstate travel or being on an aeroplane or cruise ship.

*Confirmation is that the person signing has not been overseas in the last 2 weeks, is not subject to any symptoms associated with a contagious illness, has not been directed to self-isolate or be in quarantine and will put in place measures to protect the potential transmission of a contagious illness.

This form of template is a guide only and requires updating as any new government directives are published.

Please contact our office – info@mahoneys.com.au if you would like a copy of the register.

Disclosure

The body corporate managers should provide the following disclosure information to committees after obtaining the relevant information from the contractor and before issuing any work orders:

Dear Committee

Due to the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend that work orders for the body corporate requiring external contractors attending the scheme are minimised and only take place in circumstances where:

1.  the work is urgent or necessary to be carried out now;
2.  the contractors and committee put in place certain measures to protect the potential transmission of COVID-19; and
3.  the contractors sign a register confirming their details, travel and measures they have put in place.

If these requirements are not met the committee should strongly consider deferring the work being carried out.

The contractor has provided the following information about the measures put in place to protect the potential transmission of COVID-19 for their work order:

[insert or attach contractor’s information]

If the committee wants to proceed with the work order in light of this information (or does not want to proceed), please provide your vote on the attached resolution.

Resolution

We would suggest that the following resolution is used when considering issuing any work orders (assuming the contractor’s engagement is otherwise properly approved in the ordinary course):

That the body corporate acknowledges:

1.  the information provided by the body corporate manager in relation to issuing any work orders at the scheme; and
2.  the measures the contractor has put in place to protect the potential transmission of COVID-19,

and instructs the body corporate manager to issue the work order to the contractor on the condition that the contractor completes the register in the form of that provided by the body corporate manager and the contactor is able to provide the requested confirmation.

Dealing with the contractor

If the committee does agree to proceed with the work order, the contractor should then be advised that the work order is subject to the contractor:

• completing the register;
• being able to provide the confirmation; and
• complying with the measures the contractor and committee has put in place to protect the potential transmission of COVID-19.

Ideally the contractor is able to sign the register in advance and provide it to the body corporate, but if not, it may require the onsite manager (or a committee member) to provide a copy of the register to the contractor for signing and confirmation when the contractor attends the scheme.

Written by Todd Garsden

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