COVID-19 Space Assessment

UNE wants a COVID-safe environment for staff and students.

Under the Return to Campus Plan Estate & Built Environment (EBE) can support supervisors and managers to assess the spaces they manage for a COVID-safe return to campus. Area managers are responsible under WHS legislation for the maintenance of a safe workplace for staff and study environments for students.

These guidelines apply to the assessment of all work spaces, including workshops and laboratories, open plan work areas, and traffic ways.

1. Social Distancing measures

The following measures of appropriate social distancing have been approved by the Return to Campus Steering Committee. When assessing spaces for COVID safety, assess:

  1. Can each occupant of any space maintain 1.5m distance from other individuals in the space.
  2. Circulation around the space, movement within the space, particularly between desks and in traffic areas – these should also allow for 1.5m social distancing.
  3. Assess data points, fixed desks, power outlets, amenity, other work health and safety issues.
  4. Assess person per area at 1 person per 4sqm.

On the basis of these four measures, develop a COVID-safe space utilisation plan appropriate to the space.

The Space Assessment Report template can assist in managers in assessing work spaces.

Additional information can be found at:

SafeWork Australia Physical Distancing Checklist

UNE Coronavirus Information Page

SafeWork NSW

NSW Health

SafeWork Australia

Australian Government

Department of Education

Department of Health

2. COVID-Safe space assessment requests

  1. EBE will undertake assessment of spaces that are either public spaces on campus, or highly-utilised areas such as large lecture theatres or public computer labs, particularly where these spaces have no institutional owner. This work is underway.
  2. EBE can provide advice on space assessment once local managers have excluded those spaces that are obviously not COVID-safe and those that can be made COVID-safe through a routine assessment of their work and study areas. EBE will assess complex areas that cannot be easily defined. If EBE is unable to make a recommendation, or makes a recommendation the cost centre does not wish to implement, we will refer the cost centre to WHS for further advice.
  3. Where administrative or academic areas do not have sufficient spaces to accommodate staff or students who are required to be on campus, EBE can assist with access alternate spaces.