FIFO as ‘Essential Travellers’ for Qld COVID-19 border restrictions

From Thursday 26 March, 2020 the Queensland government has restricted interstate travel which may affect Central Queensland businesses that have interstate FIFO workers.

Some key things you need to know are:

Interstate arrival restrictions

Anyone who arrives in Queensland, eg via air, sea, rail or road from another State or Territory from 26 March 2020 must self-quarantine for 14 days, unless they are an “exempt person”.

Even if a person is an exempt person, they must self-quarantine if they have travelled in the last 14 days to particular areas of Australia (COVID hotspot) which will be decided by the Chief Health Officer and published on the Queensland Health website.

Queensland Residents

This requirement to self-quarantine if a person has been to a hotspot also applies to Queensland residents returning to Queensland.

A Queensland resident who is returning from any other place in Australia that is not a declared ‘COVID19 hotspot’ does not have to enter self-quarantine.

International arrivals

A person is required to self-quarantine if they have been outside the border of Australia in the last 14 days, and the exemptions do not apply in any circumstances.

Who is exempt from the requirement to enter quarantine for 14 days?

Persons living outside of Queensland who provide critical services to Queensland and need to enter Queensland can apply for an entry pass. “Critical services” are explained in the Queensland Government advisory.

Exemption for FIFO workers

FIFO workers in construction, commercial fishing, forestry, mining, petroleum, energy or agribusiness industries are still allowed to enter Queensland to work without having to undertake self-quarantine.

However, they will be required to provide evidence that they are FIFO workers, who they are working for, and that they are entering Qld to go directly to work.

The companies they work for in Queensland will also have to provide a health plan that complies with requirements set by the Chief Health Officer that ensures adequate hygiene and safety requirements to limit the transmission of COVID19.

A template Health Plan can be downloaded from the Queensland Government advisory.

For Queensland residents who perform FIFO work for a company interstate, that company does not have to comply with a health plan set by Queensland’s Chief Health Officer. However if the FIFO work is in a hotspot declared by Chief Health Officer, the person must self-quarantine on return to Queensland.

What FIFO employers need to do

  1. Identify all interstate FIFO workers and assess that they fall within an essential traveller category.

  2. Ensure that affected employees have a Queensland entry pass.

  3. Complete and submit a health plan as required.

  4. Monitor the Queensland Government advisory as the situation may change rapidly.

Please contact us today if you require advice.