Guidance for businesses with a worker who tests positive for COVID-19

Reporting serious COVID-19 cases in the workplace 

Businesses must  notify SafeWork NSW if a worker is hospitalised or dies as a result of contracting COVID-19 at work. 

Steps for workers who test positive 

A worker who tests positive to COVID-19 is most infectious in the 2 days before symptoms appear and while they have obvious symptoms. A person may be infectious for up to 10 days. 

Workers should follow the NSW Health advice for testing positive and read the information below about returning to work. 

NSW Health recommends workers: 

• Stay home until their obvious symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever) have gone. Medical clearance may not be necessary for a worker to return to the workplace.

• Talk to their employer about when they should return to the workplace. Timeframes may vary depending on various factors, including the type of industry and workplace.

• In high-risk settings such as health, disability and aged care, workers should stay home for 7 days and until they have no symptoms. This will help protect other staff, patients, residents and clients.  

• If an employer needs the worker to return to the workplace before this time, the employer may ask the worker to take additional steps to protect others, depending on their work, and a health and safety assessment. 

Workers should notify their employer if they test positive 

A business owner or employer may be notified by the worker who has tested positive, or another authority. 

NSW Health recommends that people who test positive tell their workplace. This helps the workplace manage the risk to colleagues and customers. 

The privacy and confidentiality of the person who tested positive for COVID-19 must always be maintained. 

Business owners or employers are not required to notify the government that a customer with COVID-19 has visited the workplace. 

How businesses can manage the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace

Under NSW work health and safety (WHS) laws, employers should take all reasonable and practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of workers. This includes the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. 

Workplaces are recommended to: 

• have a COVID-19 Safety Plan that considers risk and control measures. This will assist in meeting employers’ obligations 

• consider action to prevent workers from contracting and spreading the virus, and support for workers who may be exposed to a confirmed case or who show COVID-like symptoms. This can be included in your Safety Plan

• review and, if necessary, update risk assessment(s) to determine the level of risk of COVID-19 exposure in the workplace and ensure control measures are appropriate and effective. 

Read more on how to keep your workers safe.

What to do if a worker who tests positive for COVID-19 has been in the workplace 

1. The worker who has tested positive should follow the advice from NSW Health. 

2. Ensure the safety of the workplace and workers, for example by cleaning and disinfecting all areas used by the person who tested positive for COVID-19. Find more information on cleaning the workplace. 

3. Businesses may assess how much contact other workers had with the person who tested positive for COVID-19, while that person was infectious in the workplace. Information for people exposed to COVID-19 will help determine if any workers have high risk exposure or moderate risk exposure. 

4. If your assessment of workplace risk indicates there are workers who have had exposure, those workers should be encouraged to follow information for people exposed to COVID-19. Businesses may choose to furlough staff to manage the risk. 

5. Advise workers and contractors of the situation in your workplace. Consult with workers about the identification and management of any remaining health and safety risks. 

Identifying the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace 

People with COVID-19 may be infectious for up to 10 days. The risk of infection with COVID-19 depends on many factors. These include:

• Whether the exposure was indoors or outdoors (the risk is lower for outdoor settings).
• The amount of time spent with a COVID-19 positive person (the risk is lower with less time spent together).
• How close a person is to an infected person (the risk is lower with distanced interactions).
• If either the exposed person or the infected person were wearing masks (the risk is lower if they were both wearing masks).
• The infectiousness of the case. People are most infectious in the 2 days before symptoms start, and while acute symptoms are present (runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever). If the person has not had symptoms, they should be considered infectious from 48 hours before they had their first positive test.
• If there has been other transmission of COVID-19 from a person at the workplace. Transmission indicates that the person with COVID-19 was infectious when they attended.

Assessing the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace

A workplace risk assessment should consider:

• the nature of contact with the person who has COVID-19.
• the circumstances of the exposed individual.
• any engagement with vulnerable people. For example, if the employee works with people who are vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19.

For information on how to manage COVID-19 exposure and transmission risks in the workplace, read SafeWork NSW’s COVID-19 resources.

Planning for workplace exposures  

Businesses must consider what action they will take if, or when, workers and/or others are exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the workplace. This will help to minimise the risk of other workers and people (e.g. residents, clients) getting sick, as well as avoid business disruption.

Measures for preventing repeat infection in the workplace might include regular rapid antigen testing or arranging leave of absence for high-risk contacts for 5 days.

Businesses must provide information and training to workers

Employers must provide information, training and instruction to workers and contractors so they understand the risks of COVID-19, the current situation and know how to work in a COVID-safe way.

The privacy and confidentiality of the person who tested positive to COVID-19 must always be maintained.

Information provided to workers should include:

• advice for people exposed to COVID-19

• symptoms of COVID-19 that staff and contractors should monitor for
• where to seek testing advice if they develop symptoms
• reminders to staff, contractors, visitors and customers to not enter the premises if they are unwell
• simple steps on how to do the little things to stay safe
• what infection control measures the business operator has put in place, including cleaning.

Guidance on cleaning and disinfection

All areas used by any suspected or positive case of COVID-19 should be cleaned and disinfected. Closing down premises is not required.

For hard surfaces, either:

• use detergent and water for cleaning followed by disinfectant solution (2-step clean)
• use a combined detergent and disinfectant solution (2-in-1 clean).

Specialist cleaning is not required.

For more information on cleaning, visit Safe Work Australia.

Provide workers and visitors with safety information

Employers should provide staff, visitors, contractors and customers safety information that includes:

• symptoms of COVID-19 staff, visitors, contractors and customers should self-monitor for
• where to seek advice and help
• reminders not to enter the premises if they are unwell
• advice on physical distancing and personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand hygiene and cough etiquette)
• what infection control measures the business operator has put in place, including cleaning.