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23 December 2020 by Webmaster

Update – Guide to transitioning to electronic record keeping

COVID-19 Update from OLGR on Wednesday 23 December 2020. Published without amendment.


Good morning

From today, Queensland hospitality businesses, such as pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes will be required to use a digital or electronic method to collect and store patron contact details.

Paper-based records are no longer acceptable.

Legible, structured and rapidly available records will assist Queensland Health to quickly contact trace in the event of an identified case.

For each guest, staff and contractor, you are required to collect:

  • Full name
  • Phone number
  • Email address (residential address if unavailable)
  • Date and time period of patronage.

This only applies to dining in – you do not need to collect contact details for takeaway or home delivery.

Patron details must be kept for a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of 56 days. After that period information should be deleted.

Below are some tips and resources to assist transitioning to electronic record keeping, including:

  • The benefit of a COVID Safe Marshall or venue concierge
  • How to implement a QR (Quick Response) code
  • Signage to educate patrons.

COVID Safe Marshall

We encourage venues to roster a staff member to act as a COVID Safe Marshall or concierge ensuring that patrons:

  • Understand the requirement to provide their contact details electronically.
  • Help guide patrons through the process of signing-in, whether by QR Code, online fillable forms, booking application, spreadsheet (i.e Excel) or other system.
  • If electronic sign-in is not possible, ensure the patron’s hand-written details are legible and promptly transferred to an electronic system.
  • Ensure sign-in is completed with correct details and check confirmation of sign-in.

They can also assist in supporting the health and wellbeing of staff and customers, through:

  • Monitoring physical distancing in entry queues and other heavy traffic areas within the venue.
  • Ensuring any entry and electronic system (e.g. tablet or computer used for sign-in) is frequently and properly cleaned.

How to implement a QR code system

You do not have to use a QR code system, however, QR codes allow businesses to easily record information.

QR codes are commonly used by venues, easy to use for patrons, and are an efficient way for your business to store required data.

Setting up your own QR code check in 

  1. Businesses can find a QR code guest registration service by:
    • Searching online or through their smartdevice app store.
    • Contacting their IT services, Point of Sale (POS) or web hosting provider for advice.
  2. Read the terms and conditions carefully, paying particular attention to:
    • ​pricing and payment details
    • privacy policies
    • length of contract and how to cancel the service
    • how the data is stored and how you can access it when required – data must be stored securely onshore in Australia.
  3. ​Sign up with a service and download your unique QR code.
  4. Display the code at the entrance to the venue so patrons can access it easily.
  5. If any customers are unable to use the QR code, businesses should have an alternative check in method available, such as an SMS service or the online check-in form provided as part of business resources for COVID Safe registered businesses.

How customers use the COVID Safe Check-in

  1. When a customer arrives at a venue, they scan the QR code with their smartphone or business device if available.
  2. Engage a concierge, staff member or COVID-19 Safe Marshal to assist customers and confirm they have checked in.

Signage to educate patrons
OLGR has developed a downloadable sign that helps explain the need for electronic sign-in and what details are required.

Download, print and display at your sign-in points.

We have other COVID Safe signage available – please check to see if your in-venue signage is up-to-date.

Additional tips

  • Test your systems to ensure contact tracing records can be provided to a Public Health officer within the required timeframe (usually 1 hour).
  • Encourage your staff to engage with patrons when ordering food and drink and providing services throughout the venue to confirm they have signed in.
  • Seek advice from a hospitality industry peak body for any additional resources e.g. Clubs Queensland; Queensland Hotels Association; Restaurants and Caterers’ Association; and RSL Services Club Association.
  • If utilising an in-house system, ensure member details are up to date and consider signage to help reinforce updating contact information.
  • If using a manual system for those patrons without phones or during internet outages, technology malfunctions, etc, ensure staff are assisting patrons with transcribing information to ensure it is correct, legible and can be easily added to an electronic system.

To find out more see the Queensland Chief Health Officer’s Direction and frequently asked questions.

Regards

Victoria Thomson 
Commissioner for Liquor, Gaming and Fair Trading

Filed Under: COVID-19, News

22 December 2020 by Diarmuid Deans

COVID-19: Collecting Visitor Information

Recent news reports and communication from OLGR tell us many business operators continue to struggle with their requirements regarding the collection of contact information. It is fair to say that everyone, customers, staff and business owners, is inconvenienced by the requirements regarding collection and storage of information. But, if Queenslanders want to avoid going back to living under lockdown, fast and effective contact tracing when an infection has been discovered is of critical importance, which has been highlighted by the recent resurgence of COVID-19 in Victoria and NSW. Additionally, the penalty for non-compliance is an on the spot fine of up to $6,672.

To help business owners meet their obligations, we have answered some common questions below and provided some guidance on the various methods of collection available.

How can you record the information? 

Restrictions on Businesses, Activities and Undertakings Direction (No. 12) has been released and licensees must collect contact information electronically or they will automatically be:

  • limited to 1 person per 4m² for indoor and outdoor areas; and
  • limited to operation for seated patrons only.

Third-Party Providers

If you choose to use a third-party option some questions to ask are:

Can you verify the information collected?
If the details entered by the patron are not preserved on their device (some services simply show an icon on the screen when the form has been submitted) and you do not receive a real time update on the information collected, it will be difficult to do this. OLGR has indicated that businesses ought to be doing spot checks on the accuracy of information.

Can you record the patron’s entry AND exit time?
If you have no access to the information provided, it will be impossible for you to record exit times.

If requested by Queensland Health, can you provide contact information for a specific period in a timely manner?
Some services require up to 24 hours to provide a report, but the expectation is that details will be provided to a public health officer within one hour.

Other considerations include the ongoing cost to you and the reliability of the provider – if they go out of business or become unreachable, you may lose the information.

Other Electronic Methods

Depending on the nature of your business, you may wish to have staff collect details using a tablet or computer. Whilst this is labour intensive, if done correctly it eliminates many of the issues with other methods.

Alternatively, licensees can create their own system using Google Forms or Microsoft Forms, and a free QR code generator.

What if the patron does not have a smart phone or there is an internet outage?

If electronic collection is impossible you may record the details on paper but you must transfer them to your electronic system within 24 hours. It is advisable to have a tablet or computer available at all times to accommodate patrons who do not have a smart phone.

Whose information needs to be collected? 

Contact information must be collected from all visitors to your business. which includes:

  • Every person in a group of patrons
  • Staff
  • All contractors

However, you do not need to collect contact details from people who visit the business to pick up takeaway food or drinks.

What information needs to be collected? 

The following information must be collected:

  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Period of visit/patronage – this requires you to record the date and arrival time, along with the departure time or approximate duration of the visit

Whilst it is appreciated that there are difficulties in recording the time someone leaves the premises, the feedback from OLGR and Police is that business operators must do their best to collect the information. In our view, ‘doing your best’ would include at least the following:

  • Ensuring that whatever system you have in place provides patrons with the opportunity to indicate the intended duration of their stay, or the time they intend leaving or similar. We know that some venues have a second register available for patrons to simply indicate their name and the time as they leave. With the move to mandatory electronic record keeping, paper versions are no longer acceptable.
  • Obvious signage stating that the law requires the venue to collect contact tracing information that includes the period of the visit.
  • Ensuring staff receive proper instructions in relation to this requirement and are actively directing patrons to provide contact information.

How long must you keep the information?

The information must be securely stored for at least 30 days and must be deleted with 56 days.

Can you use the information for marketing? 

Information collected must not be used for marketing or any other purpose.

Updated on 7 August 2020 to include the latest information from OLGR and Queensland Health.

Updated on 22 December 2020 to remove reference to paper based collection methods and on 23 December 2020 following the release of the updated PHD.

 

 

Filed Under: COVID-19, News

22 August 2020 by Diarmuid Deans

No Change to Gatherings on Licensed Premises

The latest Public Health Direction placing a limit of 10 on public or private gatherings DOES NOT apply to licensed premises.

The relevant part from Movement and Gathering Direction (No. 3) is set out below.

23 Gathering does not include a gathering:
…
i. at a business, facility or service operating in accordance with, or not restricted under, the Restrictions on Businesses, Activities or Undertakings Direction (No. 5), or its successor, or another Public Health Direction;
Example – wedding, funeral, accommodation facilities, retail store, shopping centre
j. at a business, facility or service not restricted under the Restrictions on Businesses, Activities or Undertakings Direction (No. 5), or its successor, or another Public Health Direction;

Restrictions on Businesses, Activities or Undertakings Direction (No. 5) is the public health direction affecting licensed premises. Licensees must continue to comply with restrictions on patron numbers based on venue size, and any other matter contained in their COVID Safe plan or checklist.

It is reasonable to believe that if the current outbreaks are not contained there may be further restrictions announced in the future. We will endeavour to provide updates as information becomes available.

Filed Under: COVID-19, News

1 July 2020 by Diarmuid Deans

COVID-19 Stage 3 Restrictions

The stage 3 restrictions are effective from midday on Friday 3 July. To help you understand what this means for your business, we have answered some frequently asked questions below.

  1. The updated Roadmap states that nightclubs may re-open. Does this mean that dance floors can now be used?
    Dance floors may not be used for dancing but may be used for dining or drinking.
  2. Are the industry approved plans redundant now?
    No, if you are operating in accordance with an industry plan you must continue to do so. We believe that there are updates to the Hotels and Clubs COVID Safe Plan to incorporate more detail for nightclubs and adult entertainment venues that are presently with Queensland Health. We are closely monitoring these changes and will let you know when we have more information. Once these are in place, you may wish to review the new version against your business practices.
  3. Does the reference in the Roadmap to nightclubs include adult entertainment venues?
    Kind of. “High risk venues” which include nightclubs and adult entertainment venues, are expressly mentioned in the updated version of the CHO direction for stage 3. It states that adult entertainment venues may operate but must do so in compliance with an approved industry plan.
  4. Does the removal of the requirement for defined areas allow a licensee to calculate the allowable number of patrons by totalling all the public areas of the venue and dividing by four, but have most or all of those patrons in a smaller area?
    On the face of it, yes, but that doesn’t feel like it’s in the spirit of things. One possible consideration would be that in order to include an area of the premises in your calculation it would need to be available for patrons to use. Another consideration may be that because smaller venues can now have a higher patron density – 1 patron per 2 square metres – larger venues with multiple areas may not need to be as focussed on managing patron density.The underlying idea, according to the CHO in yesterday’s press conference, is for patrons to have the opportunity to practice physical distancing, which would tie in with either of these approaches. We have sought specific clarification of OLGR’s views on these points and will let you know as soon as we hear back.
  5. Is bar service allowed?
    Yes.
  6. Can a larger venue be broken into smaller venues to take advantage of the 1:2 square metre equation?
    From our reading of the updated public health direction, no this would not be possible.

Annual Licence Fees

Annual licence fees have been waived for the 2020/21 financial year.

No Change to Value of Penalty Unit

The start of the financial year normally triggers an increase in the value of the penalty unit. This year the increase has been declared at 0%, therefore the penalty unit remains at $133.45 and there is no need for licensees to update compliance signs.

RMLV Training

If you need to renew your RMLV, we provide an online course every second Tuesday, with the next one scheduled for 14 July 2020. Please call our office to find out more or make a booking.

Filed Under: COVID-19, News

19 June 2020 by Diarmuid Deans

COVID-19 OLGR Update 18 June 2020

Thursday 18 June 2020

Good evening

Today’s stage 2 update includes information on:

  • Nightclub trading
  • Groups and social distancing
  • Collecting contact information
  • Designated outdoor smoking areas
  • Documents you must display.

Nightclub trading

If you have a nightclub licence, under stage 2 you:

  • Can serve food and drink on a ‘seated, separated and served’ basis
  • Can’t provide normal nightclub entertainment services, such as dancefloors or live bands
  • Can only accept a maximum of 20 patrons if you operate under a COVID Safe Checklist or 20 patrons per defined area, if you operate under the Queensland Hotels and Clubs Industry COVID Safe Plan. The 1 person per 4sqm rule applies to all.

Groups and social distancing 

The checklists in the Queensland Hotels and Clubs Industry COVID Safe Plan provide guidance on how you should manage physical distancing in your venue.

Individuals from the same household or social group can occupy the same, or adjacent, table and do not need to be seated 1.5m apart.

Tables occupied by different groups should be 1.5m apart.

Collecting contact information

All venues must collect and keep contact information for ALL guests and staff attending their venue. The following information for each person must be recorded and retained for a period of 56 days:

  • name
  • address
  • mobile phone number
  • date/time period of patronage

Collecting the date and time period of patronage is a new requirement of the Chief Health Officer’s Direction.

These records must be complete and accurate, as they are critical for health authorities to contact trace efficiently if a person subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19 attended your venue.

You do not need to collect contact details for patrons buying takeaway.

Designated outdoor smoking areas (DOSAs)

We have received questions about if food and drink can be served or consumed in DOSAs.

Food or drink cannot be served in a DOSA, and smoking laws prohibit patrons from taking food into a DOSA.

A patron may take their drink into the DOSA however this should not result in them being in that area for any longer than it takes for them to have their smoke.

Under stage 2, licensed venues can only operate their DOSAs if:

  • they are only used for the purpose of smoking – smokers should return to the seat in their allocated defined area as soon as they have finished smoking
  • no more than one person per four square metres is permitted in the DOSA
  • social distancing is observed
  • existing smoking laws are complied with.

Documents you must display 

If you are operating under an approved Industry COVID Safe Plan, you must display a completed Statement of Compliance.

If you are operating under a COVID Safe Checklist, you must display the completed and signed checklist.

Your statement or checklist must be in a visible location.

If using an approved Industry COVID Safe Plan, you do not need to display the whole plan but should have it available if asked by an enforcement officer.

Whether you use the plan or the checklist, follow the simple message of Seated, Separated, Served to ensure compliance.

Filed Under: COVID-19, News

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  • Update – Guide to transitioning to electronic record keeping
  • Update from the CHO – Changes to Queensland’s approach to record keeping
  • COVID-19: Collecting Visitor Information

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