COVID Marshals
From 21 August 2020, you must have a COVID Marshal if your business or activity is or involves any of the following:
Hospitality
Any business or activity providing food and/or beverages for on-site consumption to members of the public, including pubs, bars, restaurants, cafés, wineries, cellar doors, dining areas, food courts, etc. This does not include take-away only operators, nor does it include vending machines
Gyms and fitness centres
Gyms and fitness centres/studios, pilates, yoga, spin, barre, dance and similar studios, health clubs, etc.
Indoor and outdoor sports clubs
Football, cricket, netball, soccer, tennis clubs, racing (horse/greyhound) clubs (both indoor and outdoor areas).
Swimming pools available for public use
Publicly owned pools and businesses that operate with a swimming pool the public can use, including associated facilities such as showers, changerooms etc.
Social and community clubs
Community/RSL halls, youth and recreation centres, other facilities commonly used for meetings, gatherings and events open to members of the public.
Religious or faith-based ceremonies
Includes both ceremonies and services held at places of worship, such as churches, mosques, synagogues or temples, and ceremonies or services held elsewhere. This does not include weddings or funerals.
Supermarkets and hardware stores
Includes all retailers including small or independent stores that operate as supermarkets or hardware stores (these are more common in regional areas). However, for these smaller operations, this usually simply means that the floor manager/main staff member on duty would also act as COVID Marshal while at work. As such, this would likely not be onerous.
Distribution centres
Includes distribution centres and their associated transport operations (e.g. arrival/departure areas, loading/unloading and other activities). We have been advised by SA Health that this could include any business that purchases and wholesales to other businesses, such as dealers selling manufacturer parts to repairers.
Businesses or activities that are required to have a COVID Management Plan.
If you fall into any of the above categories, you must have either a nominated or a dedicated COVID Marshal.
Nominated COVID Marshal
If fewer than 200 people are reasonably expected to participate in the business or operation then you must have a nominated COVID Marshal. This means that you can nominate one of your regular staff members to also perform the role of COVID Marshal in addition to conducting their usual duties.
Dedicated COVID Marshal
If more than 200 people are reasonably expected to participate in the business or operation then you must have a dedicated COVID Marshal. This means that you must have a staff member on site that only and exclusively performs the role of COVID Marshal during your business or activity’s operations.
Roles and responsibilities of a COVID Marshal
Training
COVID Marshals must have completed relevant training as prescribed by SA Health. Their business owner/operator or the person in charge of their activity must be able to prove that their COVID Marshal(s) have completed this training, so that they can show this to an authorised officer if requested.
Identifiable
COVID Marshals must be visibly and immediately identifiable by their colleagues, SA Police and the public.
Present and on duty
A COVID Marshal must be on duty while a business or activity is operating or is being conducted. However, for 24/7 operations with staff not always present on-site, a COVID Marshal is only required during any hours of high patronage.
Take all reasonable action to ensure compliance
A COVID Marshal’s role is to ensure that their business or activity’s COVID-Safe Plan, COVID Management Plan or their local COVID-19 prevention plans, policies or protocols are implemented as best as possible.
While COVID Marshals are not responsible for individual patrons’ behaviour or for their employer’s compliance, their duty (to their employer) is to ensure that all the correct measures contained in their business or activity’s COVID-Safe Plan, COVID Management Plan or other COVID policies or plans are indeed in place, that they are implemented as best as possible, and that he/she takes all reasonable action to ensure that all staff, patrons, contractors and other people on site follow these rules.