COVID-19

COVID-19 guidelines & training

The mass COVID-19 shutdown has forced wineries to rethink their entire business model and way of operating. This re-engineering of Cellar Door business – with a clear view to reduce as many touchpoints and risks of transmission of coronavirus will undoubtedly bring about a ‘new normal’ for wine tasting activities.

NSW Wine has developed a set of best practice guidelines (in conjunction with Australian Grape and Wine AGW, the Hunter Valley Wine Tourism Association HVWTA as well as generous support of the Restaurant and Catering Association RCA) to allow governments to set out a clear set of obligation and requirements that wine businesses, from the small cellar door to the largest winery, can follow to ensure they follow best practice once health advice states that limited wine tasting activities is permissible.

NSW Wine believes adherence to these guidelines should be considered as best practice to re-open, coupled with a recommendation of a short accreditation process (where applicable) to ensure customers can feel safe tasting wine again, once it is declared safe to do so.

Click on the button on the right to download the COVIDsafe Guidelines for NSW Cellar Doors.

The official Public Health Order for Gatherings and Movement (14 May 2020) can be seen HERE and you can see the important Cellar Door opening clarifications  -  pre-June 1st 2020 and post-June 1st 2020  -  in our most recent newsletters via the buttons to the right.

The NSW Health Department has also released a document to help different hospitality businesses check they are applying the best practices. You can read the Checklist for COVID-19 Safety for the hospitality industry via the button on the right.

COVID19 HOSPITALITY BEST PRACTICE TRAINING COURSE

In conjunction with the NSWWIA COVIDSafe guidelines and the NSW Health Dept checklist, we recommend that managers / Cellar Door supervisors complete a relatively simple but comprehensive on line course provided by the Restaurant & Catering Association (RCA).

This course is called COVID-19 Hospitality Best Practice Training. It takes less than an hour and costs only $24.95. it provides a number of useful templates plus certification that can be displayed. The RCA are a registered training provider.

From the RCA:

R&CA are excited to launch our COVID-19 Hospitality Best Practice Training. This training is essential for employers and employees to prepare them post COVID-19 in business and covers the following areas:

1. Social Distancing understanding
2. Creating a Social Distancing Plan (SDP) to suit your organisation
3. Staff Induction for working during COVID-19
4. Working during COVID-19
5. Managing customers during social distancing
6. Cleaning premises and equipment during COVID-19

The training comes with complimentary templates, including:

• Hospitality Business Blueprint
• Employee temperature check release form
• Hospitality best practice plan
• Staff induction post COVID-19