From Friday 14 October 2022, it is no longer mandatory to isolate if you test positive to COVID-19.
The removal of mandatory isolation does not impact on the duties of an employer to do all that is reasonably practicable to minimise the risks of COVID-19 at the workplace, including asking workers to stay at home when unwell.
Information on these pages is currently being reviewed and will be updated shortly.
This page includes resources for retail, supermarkets and shopping centres on work health and safety, workers’ compensation and COVID-19.
We also have information for the Hospitality industry.
The retail, supermarkets and shopping centres industry usually involves the sale of goods or services to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption, rather than for resale. The industry includes:
- motor vehicle retailing
- motor vehicle parts and tyre retailing
- fuel retailing
- supermarket and grocery stores
- specialised food retailing
- furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textile goods retailing
- electrical and electronic goods retailing
- hardware, building and garden supplies retailing
- recreational goods retailing
- clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing
- department stores
- pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing
- non-store retailing
- retail commission-based buying and/or selling
- shopping centres.
Workplaces may include areas where workers interact with customers, such as department and bulk stores, petrol stations, supermarkets and food shops, plant nurseries, hardware and timber merchants, and speciality shops.
Some retail workplaces may not involve face-to-face customer contact, for example, where products are sold entirely online.
Information for warehouses and distribution centres is provided in the Warehousing and Logistics industry information.
To ensure this information is as accessible and easy to understand as possible, we refer to ‘employers’ and their responsibilities.
However, under the model WHS laws, duties apply to any person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) which includes employers, but also others who engage workers. For more information about who is a PCBU see our Interpretive Guideline – model Work Health and Safety Act – the meaning of ‘person conducting a business or undertaking'.
The model WHS laws have been implemented in all jurisdictions except Victoria.
Safe Work Australia does not regulate or enforce WHS laws or the recently introduced COVID-19 restrictions on business operations. If you want to know how WHS laws apply to you or need help with what to do at your workplace, contact the WHS regulator in your jurisdiction. If you want to know what restrictions on business operations apply to you or your workplace, go to your relevant state and territory government website for information.