Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates

Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates for USG Boral’s employees, contractors and customers

VICTORIA

Pleased be advised of the steps we are taking to keep our customers, staff and community safe following a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) at our Turner Street, Port Melbourne manufacturing and bulk distribution site. As a result, our Turner Street Port Melbourne site is closed until further notice.

Please note our City trade store located at 706 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne is unaffected and is open to customers from 4 October 2021.

USG Boral is following Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) advice in order to safely reopen our business as soon as possible. For more visit; COVID-19 Trade Support

NEW SOUTH WALES

Extension of lockdown in Greater Sydney until at least 30 September 2021

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian this week announced an extension to current COVID-19 stay at home orders and increased restrictions for Local Government Areas (LGA’s) across Greater and Western Sydney until at least 30 September 2021 to help control the spread of COVID-19 in NSW. 

Effective Wednesday 11 August 2021, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that construction workers will be allowed on-site with 50% capacity. This means fully vaccinated authorised construction workers from the 12 affected Local Government Areas (LGA’s), including Penrith (from 8 August) will be permitted to work with evidence they have received;

  • two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine OR
  • one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least three weeks before attending work OR
  • one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and, if less than three weeks since that vaccine was administered, a negative COVID-19 test or negative rapid antigen test in the previous 72 hours.

More information is available on the NSW Government COVID-19 website; https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

USG Boral has made the following changes to our Trade Store operations in NSW:

Trade Stores & Distribution

  • Effective Friday 13 August 2021, USG Boral Trade Stores at Rozelle, Kings Park and Castle Hill will reopen and operate Monday to Friday 6am – 2.30pm
  • This means the following USG Boral trade stores will remain open and servicing our trade partners and customers through a contactless “drive-thru” model, with hours of operation changed to 6am – 2:30pm weekdays;
    • Rozelle
    • Kings Park
    • Castle Hill
    • Chullora
    • Gosford
    • Oak Flats
    • Penrith
    • Smeaton Grange
       

Camellia Distribution Centre and USG Boral stores in Thornton and ACT will trade as usual also servicing customers through a “drive thru” model within the guidelines of our COVID Safe Plan and government and industry requirements. 

Further to this we have initiated several social distancing measures to minimise contact and help reduce the COVID-19 risk to you and store staff. This includes closing showrooms where we have them and asking customers not to visit us in-store where possible. We encourage you to please place your order over the phone or email ahead so we can safely manage the collection or delivery of your goods. This will not only speed up your order, it will also minimise risk to customers and staff.

When visiting our Trade Stores in NSW you will note the following COVID Safe hygiene measures are now in place;

  • Service NSW QR Code is in effect at all USG Boral sites in NSW. All visitors to site including customers and Contractors (including labour hire) must ensure they ‘Check-In’ to register their attendance on arrival as well as checking out on departure using the Service NSW QR code or online form provided.
  • Wearing of masks
  • Limiting face to face customer contact where possible.
  • Maintain 1.5m distancing between persons and 3 metre exclusion zones for mobile plant
  • Wash and/or sanitise hands regularly and routinely
  • Daily cleaning and sanitising of all high-frequency contact surfaces including forklifts   
  • Temperature testing for Manufacturing and Bulk Distribution Centre gatehouses and staff
  • Customers and Carters are not permitted to enter the despatch office and/or warehouse and should follow the instructions of USG Boral Trade Store staff when loading and unloading of deliveries when on a USG Boral site.

Please remember to wash hands frequently and if you are feeling unwell – do not visit a site in person, and instead request delivery with one of our friendly trade store staff via telephone or email.

Please click here to find your nearest USG Boral Trade Store, operating hours and contact information.

USG BORAL in other states

The good news for USG Boral and our customers is we continue to remain open for business and available to service your business needs. We are committed to keeping the USG Boral business actively serving customers during this challenging period and adhere to our COVID Safe Plans, including social distancing requirements for employees, customers and contractors and hygiene measures to protect both their safety and the safety of the larger community in which we work.

Please ensure you are aware of and adhere to the COVID-Safe hygiene measures in place at USG Boral sites. A Check-in App QR Code is in effect at all USG Boral sites nationally. All visitors to site including customers and Contractors (including labour hire) must ensure they ‘Check-In’ to register their attendance on arrival as well as checking out on departure using that State's QR code , online or hardcopy form provided.

USG Boral Trade stores remain open where permitted, servicing our industry trade partners in our stores and other customers through a “drive thru” model. We encourage you to place your order over the phone or email ahead so we can safely manage the collection or delivery of your goods.

USG Boral warehouse and distribution operations continue within the guidelines of our COVID Safe Plan, and we ask all transport to site to follow the instructions of staff to ensure safety and compliance.

Our contracting business has already implemented COVID Safe restrictions in line with industry requirements. With these restrictions in place, we are confident we will be able to continue our operations and service our valued customers.

Thank you for your continuing support and understanding.

COVID SAFE
We have a dedicated internal COVID-19 task force and we are relying on expert advice, including information provided by USG Boral’s international medical and travel security services provider International SOS, as well as advice from specialist global risk consultancy Control Risks. We are also monitoring and applying official Australian national and state notices and recommendations from the WHO (World Health Organisation). We have protocols in place that we are updating regularly, including requirements for employees and contractors whose work includes being on USG Boral sites, to be quarantined for fourteen days before returning to work if they have visited an affected country or been in close contact with a person with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.

To learn more about USG Boral’s protocols and practices for employees and contractors please refer to the following documents:

·      Hygiene Advice

We are also working to ensure we are as prepared as we can be around business continuity planning including minimising our supply chain risks and business disruption, and strengthening our remote working capabilities. We have identified critical business processes, including in our manufacturing operations and distribution as well as in our finance and IT functions. We have contingency planning underway including planning for staff absenteeism and planning to minimise any potential supply disruption to customers.  We do not rely on a single data centre or IT facility that would leave the business or our customers vulnerable.

Some customers have asked about where our products are manufactured and if it is safe to accept USG Boral products onto their sites. USG Boral’s products are predominantly sourced and manufactured locally. While we do source some products, additives and equipment from overseas, expert advice is that the primary spread of the virus is through close, unprotected and direct contact with an infected person.  There is currently no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 through imported goods. 

Some customers have also asked if we expect any supply shortages and if we have alternate locations to supply customers from if a site is impacted by COVID-19. Because USG Boral operates across many sites, we have a number of back-ups and alternative locations for customer supply already built into our network.  Also, we are working to ensure we have adequate stocks of supply of all critical additives and inputs that are imported.

While our business continuity plans are confidential documents, if you are a customer and would like to better understand the way we operate and how we are managing the risks of COVID-19 in USG Boral, please contact your sales representative and an online meeting or discussion can be arranged.

For more information or to provide feedback to USG Boral on COVID-19, please email: covid19@usgboral.com

We encourage you to be aware of the available resources and recommendations of your local authorities.  Here are a few examples:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
 

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/infectious/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/diseases/coronavirus

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html