Victorian Government clarifies stance on installing during Stage 4 lockdown

Melbourne has had an extension of the Stage 4 restrictions until at least 28th September with the Victorian Government releasing a roadmap for moving from Stage 4 to Stage 3.  

The industry was originally not included on the list of Specialist Contractors able to work on commercial and residential construction sites as part of the roadmap revealed on the 6^th of September. This threw the industry into a panic as many businesses had continued to operate under the provisions allowing the supplying of the construction industry.

The Blind Manufacturers Association of Australia (BMAA) wrote to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) last week requesting that the industry be included while BMAA President, Chris Nolan, wrote directly to the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews. 

In an update from the 13^th of September signed by the Deputy Public Health Commander A/P Michelle Giles, Window Shutters and blind installers had been added to the specialist contractors allowing them to operate on site and move between up to three construction sites per week.

Workers onsite must adhere to density quotients, wear face coverings and follow Covid Safe plans.

Small scale constructions sites can allow up to 5 workers on site at one time while large scale construction sites (consider to be a minimum of 1500m2) must not operate with more that 25% of its average workforce before the stage 4 lockdown or 5 workers, whichever is the larger.

Retailers are still only allowed to trade if they are fulfilling online orders

Many retailers including Dollar Curtains and Blinds, Victory Curtains and Blinds and Wynstan have elected to trade on though this period offering online consultations by phone and video. They will however be unable to complete any residential orders, in home quotes, or installations until restrictions are lifted.

Retailers outside of the Melbourne Metropolitan region are allowed to trade and now face very few trading restrictions after the whole of Regional Victoria moved to Step 3 of the roadmap as of today (17^th September).

_{Image: Photographer: Dylan James}