The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) Western Australia has partnered with the state government to create a new hygiene course, to help hospitality businesses reopen safely and responsibly once restrictions ease.
The online AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course will be mandatory for all hospitality staff to successfully complete before their employer can reopen post-pandemic. AHA WA CEO Bradley Woods said the innovative course will give staff and management a comprehensive understanding of COVID-19 hygiene requirements.
“This is the first hospitality and tourism specific COVID-19 hygiene course of its type in Australia and will put WA in a front line position for when venues re-open,” Woods said.
“To ensure hospitality businesses are prepared to re-open, it is important that all staff have the necessary training and knowledge to minimise the risk for staff and customers contracting COVID-19.”
“The AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course has been specifically designed to help the sector to implement measures that will continue to reduce the risks associated with COVID-19 in respect to hygiene, cleaning and social distancing measures.”
The course covers the following modules:
- Understanding COVID-19 and venue restrictions
- Reporting personal health issues
- Maintaining personal and work environment hygiene practices, specific to COVID-19
- Reducing cross contamination through procedures, specific to COVID-19
- Effective cleaning and sanitising practices, specific to COVID-19
All staff will be required to complete basic training, while managers and supervisors will be required to also complete a second, more detailed, Hygiene Officer course. Each venue must have at least one Hygiene Officer on duty at all times after reopening, in order to maintain compliance.
Woods said by setting this pathway up, WA’s hospitality industry demonstrates that they recognise their important role in reducing the spread of the virus now, and into the future.
He said: “WA has been remarkably successful in containing COVID-19 and hospitality venues will have an important role to play in continuing this success and getting back on the road to recovery – this training course will help ensure this occurs.”
The AHA Hospitality & Tourism COVID-19 Hygiene Course is available at www.hospitalityhygiene.com