NSW – INFECTION CONTROL SKILL SETS

WHY DO I NEED INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL TRAINING?

The COVID -19 Pandemic has been a hard hit to a variety of industries across Australia putting both workplaces and workers at risk like never before. In response, the Australian Industry and Skills Committee have launched four new Nationally Recognised Infection Control Skill Sets designed to keep Australian Workers and Community safe. These skills sets are also designed to assist Business Owners in providing the correct infection control Training to their workers as part of the various states COVID- 19 response WHS plans.

There are four new skill sets, three are developed to meet the needs of specific industries and one related to Health and Community Care settings and medical based infection control and prevention.

• HLTSS00064 INFECTION CONTROL SKILL SET

  •  AGED AND DISABILITY SECTORS (MORE DETAILS)

• HLTSS00065 INFECTION CONTROL SKILL SET

  • RETAIL (MORE DETAILS)

• HLTSS00066 INFECTION CONTROL SKILL SET

  • FOOD HANDLING (MORE DETAILS)

  • HOSPITALITY (MORE DETAILS)

• HLTSS00067 INFECTION CONTROL SKILL SET

  • TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS (MORE DETAILS)

FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT

The Australian Federal Government has allocated a new $80 million Infection Control Training Fund to fast-track fee free (or low cost) infection control training through the State Governments.  This funding is for existing workers and to help business owner’s re-open customer-facing businesses nationwide.

Around 80,000 workers across industries including retail, tourism, hospitality cleaning, security, transport and logistics as well as community care will pay no fee or a small fee for training previously only widely available in the health sector.

WHAT WILL THE UNITS COVER?

Identifying the dangers of infection:

• Hand hygiene practices
• Effective surface cleaning
• Interacting safely with the general public
• Use of personal protective equipment
• Disposal of contaminated waste
• Hazard identification, control and reporting
• Appropriate protocols and responses in the event of an incident
• Knowledge regarding the basis of infection and transmission

KEEPING YOURSELF AND OTHERS SAFE

• Hand hygiene practices
• How and when to properly clean your hands
• Hygiene hand care, including maintaining intact skin, fingernails and jewellery/watches
• The importance of PPE including what, when and how to safely use PPE in your job role
• Gloves
• Waterproof aprons, Uniforms and Jackets
• Protective masks
• Protective glasses and face shields
• Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette