Vic worker injured while directing vehicles at COVID-19 testing centre

WorkSafe Victoria is advising drive-through COVID-19 testing centres across Australia to have traffic management plans in place after a Vic worker was injured while directing vehicles at a COVID-19 testing centre. The injured worker had a foot run over by a vehicle after it deviated from the queue.

What Happened at the Testing Centre

The vehicle ran over the worker's foot after departing from the designated queue. In a safety alert issued after the incident, WorkSafe said cases of violence and aggression have been reported by employees at COVID-19 testing centres.

The alert states that workers at drive-through COVID-19 testing centres face heightened risk of being struck by vehicles, alongside risk of experiencing work-related violence and aggression on site.

WorkSafe's Traffic Management Recommendations

WorkSafe Victoria says traffic management plans should include a means for persons in vehicles who no longer wish to wait in the queue to safely exit. Clear signage should also mark queue boundaries, giving drivers an obvious sign of where safe pedestrian zones begin.

The regulator adds that drive-through COVID-19 testing centres should consult employees and health and safety representatives when developing traffic management systems. Consultation helps ensure plans address genuine on-ground hazards rather than assumptions made off site.

Key Safety Considerations for Testing Centre Operators

• Establish traffic management plans before opening a testing station to the public
• Provide safe exit paths for vehicles leaving the queue
• Consult employees and health and safety representatives during planning
• Monitor for signs of aggression toward staff directing traffic
• Review safety procedures regularly as testing centre operations continue

Operators managing similar high-traffic environments may find it useful to review guidance on worker safety incidents involving vehicles, as well as broader resources covering coronavirus testing documentation for Australian workplaces.

Incidents involving aggression aren't limited to testing sites; reports of a worker hospitalised following an alleged assault at a separate Victorian centre highlight why health and safety representatives must be involved early in risk planning.

Read the full safety alert on the WorkSafe Victoria website.