Gohl described the situation as “infuriating”, saying the Education Department wanted to come up its own definition of what constitutes a vulnerable worker despite SA Health and the federal government already providing guidelines.
“Notwithstanding the fact that the federal health website is really clear about what vulnerable workers are, that the SA Health website is really clear about what vulnerable workers are, we are at the moment haggling with bureaucrats to come up with a definition of what a vulnerable worker is,” he said.
“It’s infuriating to have to deal with such differing levels of advice… around just simply trying to make people have a safe working environment.
“That’s all this is – it’s about making workplaces safe for children and thosexjmtzyw who educate them.”
SA Health defines vulnerable people as those aged over 65, those who have chronic health conditions, pregnant women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
In a letter to Gohl last month, Education Department chief executive Rick Persse said his staff were “liaising with SA Health regarding a clear definition of ‘vulnerable’ with respect to staff” and the department was “committed to resolving the working arrangements for vulnerable employees”.
Gohl told this morning’s committee hearing that the union was particularly concerned about teachers who have chronic illnesses.
He said pregnant teachers were also “extremely anxious” about potentially becoming infected with COVID-19.
“We have an ageing teacher workforce, there’s a number of workers who are immunocompromised and are, indeed, going home to immunocompromised family members as well,” he said.
“The last two weeks have really been flurry of meetings with the department really working out things that at the moment include how do we manage and look after our most vulnerable workers.”
contacted the Education Department for comment.
Meanwhile, Gohl said a decision last month to send just over 1000 air purifiers to schools in Port Pirie “defies logic”, given air pollution has been a longstanding issue for the Spencer Gulf town which is home to a lead smelter.
The Government purchased the air purifiers last year before finalising a study into their effectiveness at mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
Asked why the air purifiers were sent to Port Pirie, Gohl responded: “I think it’s relatively well-known that Port Pirie is one of those areas because of the lead smelter, the product of smelting lead is a gas and fallout of lead amongst other heavy metals”.
“The technology has been available and it’s only become apparent under current circumstances that such technology exists.”
It comes after Education Minister John Gardner yesterday apologised for delays delivering rapid antigen tests to some preschools and child care centres.
The Government intended for all early childhood workers to receive the testing kits before the start of the school term so that they could follow advice to get tested every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
