Western Australian hospitality sector to undergo Coronavirus training program before reopening

Venues and hospitality workers in Western Australia will have to undergo new online Coronavirus training before they are allowed to reopen under a new initiative announced by Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan.

Around 70,000 people hospitality workers are expected to complete the mandatory free Covid-19 hygiene training course, to be delivered by the Australian Hotels Association (WA), which is being funded by a $1.8 million cash injection from the Western Australian Government.

The early rollout of the training program has been designed to ensures that Western Australian businesses can reopen quickly when restrictions are lifted in the future.

Venues will only be able to reopen when restrictions are lifted and every employee has successfully passed assessment.

The course will comprise two tiers, with all staff to complete the first stage and managers and supervisors required to complete the second, more advanced program.

The course will take 45 minutes to an hour to complete the training, covering everything from social distancing to food handling and hygiene.

When permitted to reopen, every venue will be required to have a staff member with the more advanced accreditation on shift at all times, as the venue's dedicated hygiene officer, and will also have to display signage that the venue is compliant with all conditions.

Premier McGowan advised that the program was “all part of getting us ready for a restart", commenting "this is to provide confidence to venues and to customers when the time comes to re-open, so we all know the very safest of environments is in place.

"This new mandatory course will help the sector to appropriately plan and prepare for future adjustments whereby workers and patrons alike are better protected from the virus once business is able to resume."