Information for frontline staff

If you need to continue seeing and supporting clients, there are a range of steps you can take to protect yourself and others.

In the first instance, discuss your circumstances with your local team and manager Every workplace is different. There may be steps you can take that are specific to your area.

The most important steps are:

• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or barrier, or into your elbow.  Do not cough into your hands.
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly (20 seconds or more) with soap and water or hand sanitiser.
• Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home if you have cold or flu symptoms, regardless of whether it relates to coronavirus or not. This is important to keep overall level of absences as low as possible.

Other steps to reduce the risk of infection include:

• Wipe down surfaces and devices (mobile phone, keyboard, mouse, etc).
• Attempt to keep a distance of 1.5 metres between you and other people where possible.
• Avoid shaking hands, hugging, or kissing other people.
• Ensure hand sanitiser and/or soap is available in your workplace
• Wipe down surfaces and devices (mobile phone, keyboard, mouse, etc).

Frontline staff who are unable to work from home can reduce the risk of infection by practising social distancing.

DCJ has ordered Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its frontline staff, including hand sanitiser, gloves and masks. If you’re not sure when to wear PPE see our  quick guide.

You can also watch the PPE for combined contact, droplet and airborne precautions video by the Clinical Excellence Commission for guidance on how to put on (don) and take off (doff) PPE. While the video provides guidance for a healthcare setting, the principles can be applied for donning and doffing PPE (such as gloves and masks) within the workplace.

Please see NSW Health advice about casual contact with people who may be affected.

Please refer to the advice from NSW Health about face masks.

There are a range of posters for client facing offices.

Travelling for work

Frontline staff may travel to attend or undertake work activities. If you have DCJ identification, remember to carry it with you. If NSW Police stop you and ask why you are travelling, you should advise that you are undertaking work related to an essential service.

NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller thanks NSW public sector employees for their work and reassures that they will not be fined if they are travelling for work purposes. Any fine issued to a public sector employee will be personally reviewed by the Commissioner. Watch the Commissioner’s address.

All staff that can work from home must, and follow the public health orders on all non-essential travel.

Interaction with clients in their homes or in our offices

If you need to visit clients at home or receive them in the office for an appointment, call your clients ahead of time and ask them:

• “Have you or anyone in your household returned from any overseas travel within the last 14 days?”
• “Is anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms or any of the symptoms associated with coronavirus?”
• “Have you or anyone in your household been required to isolate?”

If the answer is yes, you should assess whether the visit can be delayed or business carried out over the phone.

There may be occasions when you cannot phone ahead if your visit is to someone who does not know you are coming. In this case, you can ask the same questions shortly after arriving or receiving your client. In many cases, other people who know the household will be involved and you can ask them if they know the answers to these questions.

Posters about how to wash your hands and other resources to use in your workplace are available from the NSW Health website.

Interacting with clients in the community

If your role involves interacting with clients in the community. It is important that in the first instance you discuss your circumstances with your local team and manager. Following good hygiene practices helps to prevent the spread of infection.

Information for staff in custodial settings

Corrective Services NSW is working closely with Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network and NSW to prevent and manage potential and confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Detailed information for staff in custodial settings is available  on the intranet and is directly communicated to Corrective Services NSW staff as required.

Information for visitors to correctional centres can be found on the Corrective Services NSW website.

There are poster's available to place in correctional centres.

Information for frontline child protection and OOHC staff

Detailed information for frontline child protection and OOHC staff is on the Casework Practice site (intranet).

Information for frontline housing staff

Detailed information for frontline housing staff is on the Housing Hub (intranet).