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COVID-19 and AWTA Raw Wool Laboratories

Friday, 20 March 2020

AWTA Ltd realises that the trading of Australian wool critically depends on the test results we produce.

I’d like to assure you that AWTA Ltd is taking all practical steps it can in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Australia and has in place procedures to minimise any disruption to wool testing services.

AWTA Ltd has, like most other businesses, put in place a policy requiring staff to report any exposure to the COVID-19. This includes staff who may have the misfortune to be directly exposed to COVID-19 or who may have come into contact with someone who was exposed.

To help minimise any exposure of our workforce we have implemented a number of practices in the Laboratory facilities:

  • Access to the laboratories is restricted to essential staff and contractors only. All other site visits such as laboratory tours have been deferred.
  • We have segregated or isolated staff in different departments within the buildings where possible. Similarly the two shifts within the Melbourne laboratory have been isolated from each other, as far as practicable. Some staff have been asked to work from home.
  • AWTA has two laboratories in Australia (Melbourne and Bibra Lake) that operate completely independently. Should one shift (or one laboratory) need to be isolated the other laboratory can still operate, albeit possibly on a reduced throughput.
  • We have ceased all non-essential face to face visits to AWTA clients and are minimising the movement or circulation of our own Sampling Officers between client’s premises.
  • All staff to carry out the recommended hygiene practices such as frequent hand washing, capturing coughs and sneezes and minimising personal contact. We have also put in place occupational hygiene measures relating to equipment and facilities cleaning.

Obviously the situation is dynamic and changing on a daily basis but our overall focus is simple – do whatever is safe and practical to keep the laboratories running and the test results flowing to our clients.

Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me on (03) 9371 2100

Kind regards

Ian Ashman

GENERAL MANAGER - RAW WOOL