Pandemic Response Checklist for Faith Organisations

June 25, 2020 - 3 minutes read

The coronavirus is unfortunately still with us, and your organisation should have a pandemic response plan in place by now. It’s also important to keep your plan constantly updated and in line with current advice.

The following checklist is based on advice from Ansvar Insurance and may be helpful for developing or updating your organisation’s pandemic response plan.

Pandemic checklist

  • Appoint a pandemic coordinator who will be responsible for overall response planning.
  • Keep up-to-date on the latest COVID-19 advice from your state or territory (see links below).
  • Identify crucial activities that need to continue during the pandemic, and check that associated contractors and suppliers have a business continuity plan in place.
  • Identify the various ways that your organisation could be impacted (e.g. financially) by the pandemic and develop responses to these scenarios.
  • Establish an effective communications plan. Good communication underpins all risk management and is particularly crucial during emergencies and pandemics.
  • Consider what level of work could be done from home by your employees, and set up systems and resources to support this.
  • In cases where remote work isn’t feasible, consider staggered shifts for workers.
  • Establish personal leave programs specifically for pandemics, such as when a staff member can return to work after illness.
  • Determine what actions should take place where a worker becomes ill while at work.
  • Develop evacuation and return policies in case of outbreaks.
  • Plan for greater hygiene and infection control. This includes ensuring you have adequate soap and hot water, paper towel, hand sanitisers, and masks if necessary. Also consider doing extra cleaning and disinfection tasks.
  • Educate your workers on the pandemic. This includes how to maintain hygiene and practice social distancing, and when to stay home (e.g. when experiencing symptoms). Also, communicate your organisation’s response plan to your employees so they know what’s happening.

You can download Ansvar’s pandemic resources from their website if required.

Also, if you close your property during pandemics it’s important to put strong security measures in place. You may find our post on protecting your property during shutdowns helpful for this.

Where to get government COVID-19 advice

Information on COVID-19 can be found at the federal government Department of Health page.

For state or territory based advice and health alerts use the links below.

Lastly, make sure to keep up with your insurance cover at this time. If you are a Faith Insurance customer and have any queries about the pandemic and your church insurance cover, get in touch with our office.

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