Tasmanian businesses must complete a risk assessment to determine which of their staff will require vaccinations as part of new rules to be introduced by the government.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The government will revise a Public Health direction to mandate that the risk assessments be carried out in line with occupational health and safety laws.
Premier Peter Gutwein said businesses had been seeking "guidance" from the government, and he was providing it.
"Every business should - as part of their COVID safety plan - conduct that risk assessment," he said.
"And if required to keep people safe in line with the OHS laws they should then mandate a vaccination policy for those staff that are at higher risk, exactly the same as we are doing in the public service.
"The Public Health direction ... is being revised to include a risk assessment to be conducted, and obviously businesses then will need to implement a lawful and reasonable direction in terms of those staff that are at high risk."
So far, it has been up to individual businesses to determine their own vaccination policies.
But the direction will mandate a requirement that such assessments take place.
The government is continuing its own risk assessments for vaccination mandates in the public sector and will begin consultations with employees from next week.
Mr Gutwein said the risk assessment would determine which staff were at particular risk of contracting COVID through their work.
"Agencies have been undertaking a risk assessment to update their existing COVID safety plans," he said.
READ MORE: Man escapes hotel quarantine in Launceston
"We expect to begin consultation with our employees from next week in terms of receiving feedback, and then we'll be putting in place the lawful and reasonable direction in terms of who should and who should not be vaccinated.
"Once we've conducted the risk assessment, staff who are identified as high risk, they will be requested to provide their vaccination status at that time and then we'll work through the processes from there.
"Our intention is to ensure that we can have as higher level of vaccination across the public sector as we can prior to the 15th (of December) and that process is currently under way."
On Friday, Mr Gutwein outlined growing concerns about the state's slowing vaccination rate.
Tasmania is likely to miss its target of 90 per cent fully vaccinated by December 1, and reaching this target by December 15 - when borders reopen to high risk areas - was also in jeopardy.
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor:
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner