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TMS Consulting Statement: COVID-19 Safety Protocol

TMS Consulting is committed to the prevention of COVID-19 and will continue to take actions that promote the wellbeing of staff, clients and the greater community. TMS Consulting executives are meeting daily to discuss implications regarding the virus and will continue to make decisions based on advice from the Government and Health experts. Based on this, TMS Consulting has activated the following safety protocols, and will remain activated indefinitely:

Staff, Client and Community Wellbeing
• Continue to monitor and follow advice from Government and Health experts regarding the prevention of COVID-19
• Instruct staff to self-isolate if they are feeling unwell, have come into contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or recently travelled to a high-risk overseas destination
• Instruct staff to maintain hand and respiratory hygiene
• Provide staff and clients with liquid hand sanitiser if required to operate outside of the home office
• Ensure that the sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and make employees are aware of these policies
• Permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member
• Support staff emotional and mental wellbeing by conducting regular check ins and encouraging staff to discuss any concerns with their managers and / or TMS executives
• If a worker is confirmed to have COVID-19, call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for advice. Inform co-workers and building tenants about possible exposure to COVID-19 but maintain confidentiality. Advise workers to seek immediate medical advice if they develop symptoms or are concerned about their health

Service Delivery and Operations
• Conduct a thorough hazard assessment to ensure TMS is in the best possible position to keep delivering services, and updated our business continuity plans
• Continue to explore options for flexible policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts), to assist employees during uncertainty
• Close TMS Consulting offices in the short term, with staff to work from home on a day to day basis (whilst continuing normal service delivery)
• Limit face to face service delivery, and provide services on-line or through video conferencing where available. This includes options for coaching and workshop facilitation
• Continue normal communication methods for contacting TMS Consulting, including email and phone. Please note that email communication is preferred, and TMS will endeavour to respond to all phone enquiries within 4 hours
• Provide regular updates to all TMS Consulting clients and stakeholders regarding the evolving nature of the safety protocols

Travel
• Visit the Smartraveller website before arranging business travel to destinations with cases of COVID-19.
• Avoid international travel as per Government advice, and limit all non-essential domestic travel.
• Although unlikely, if domestic travel is required employees will be asked to check themselves for symptoms of acute respiratory illness before starting travel and notify TMS executives and stay home if they are sick.
• Ensure employees who become sick while traveling or on temporary assignment understand that they should notify TMS executives and should promptly call a healthcare provider for advice if needed.

Ongoing Education
• Train all workers with reasonably anticipated occupational exposure to COVID-19 about the sources of exposure to the virus, the hazards associated with that exposure, and appropriate workplace protocols in place to prevent or reduce the likelihood of exposure.
• Training should include information about how to isolate individuals with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, and how to report possible cases.
• Training must be offered during scheduled work times and at no cost to the employee.

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TMS Consulting