A6 Covid 19 Office Risk Logic Simplified VERSION 8 Dec 21.pdf

RISK ASSESSMENT SUMMARY – COVID-19 VACCINATIONS FOR OFFICE WORKERS
This risk assessment is based on certain activities that require Stats NZ worker interaction with
external parties which are outside the control of the Stats NZ working environment.  ACT
We aim to minimise the exposure of a Stats NZ worker to Covid-19 and reduce potential wider
transmission throughout the organisation.
RISK ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
We use the below risk matrix with definitions that explain likelihood and severity. A rating is given
based on the association of likelihood and severity.
INFORMATION

Consequence
  Likelihood
The risk consequence will occur in
OFFICIAL
  most circumstances. 80-100%
Medium 5
High 10
High 15
Very High 20
Very High 25
expectation in the next 12 months
The risk consequence will probably
  occur. 50-80% expectation in the
Low 4
Medium 8
High 12
High 16
Very High 20
THE
next 12 months
The risk consequence is likely to
occur. 30-50 % expectation in the
Low 3
Medium 6
Medium 9
High 12
High 15
  next 12 months
The risk consequence may occur at
some time. 5-30% expectation in
Very Low 2
Low 4
Medium 6
Medium 8
High 10
  the next 12 months
UNDER
The risk consequence will only be
realized in exceptional
Very Low 1
Very Low 2
Low 3
Low 4
Medium 5
circumstances

Management oversight
Management effort would
Would require
Management oversight  would be required to ensure  be required to prevent the  Significant senior
extensive senior
might be required to
effectiveness and efficiency  situation from intensifying.  management attention management attention

Definitions
ensure day to day,
is maintained.  Changes to
Changes to operating
would be required to  and diversion of
routine operations are  operating procedures may
procedures would be
recover from the risk  resources to recover
not disrupted.
need to be considered
required.
event.
from the risk event.

RELEASED

Definition of frequent activity “something that happens often or keeps happening”.

Tasks within OFFICE ROLES have been categorised into four “risk contexts”. Each context requires a
separate risk assessment.
1.
FREQUENT CONTACT WITH CUSTOMERS, VISITORS OR CONTRACTORS AT STATS NZ
OFFICES.
Risk Context: Stats NZ workers in close proximity to unknown contacts, external to the
organisation, in the office environment.

2.
ATTENDING INDOOR COMMUNITY EVENTS
Risk Context: Workers that are required to attend indoor events as part of their frequent
work duties. There is potential to be exposed to multiple contacts. There are challenges in
maintaining distance and natural ventilation is limited.

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3.
ATTENDING OUTDOOR COMMUNITY EVENTS
Risk Context:  Workers that are required to attend regular outdoor events as part of their
ACT
frequent work activities. There is potential to be exposed to multiple contacts however
distancing and natural ventilation is achievable.

4.
FREQUENT VISITS TO MULTIPLE STATS OFFICES (WLG, CHCH, AKL)
Risk context: Workers that have frequent regional travel requirements and use public
INFORMATION
transport and overnight accommodation. Unknown contacts could result in transmission
between the Stats NZ Offices and into the wider community.

For each risk assessment, we firstly assess risk without any contr
OFFICIAL  ols in place. This is called assessing
inherent risk. Secondly, we assess risk with controls in place. This is called assessing residual risk.
THE

If the residual risk rating is still high after controls are put in place, we cannot responsibly conduct
these activities, so we have to consider more controls to reduce the risk.
UNDER

In all 4 these risk assessments, the vaccination proposes a significant control to reduce the risk of
transmission. We rely on the integrity of the information supplied by the Ministry of Health (MOH)
for the decision making. We are obligated to follow the guidelines and information provided to us by
RELEASED
the MOH.

4 RISK CONTEXTS

1.
FREQUENT CONTACT WITH CUSTOMERS, VISITORS AND CONTRACTORS AT STATS NZ
OFFICES.
Risk Context: Workers in close proximity to unknown contacts, external to the
organisation, in the office environment.

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INHERENT RISK (BEFORE CONTROLS)
ACT
INFORMATION

CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE
OFFICIAL
By definition, the consequence “would require extensive senior management attention
THE
and diversion of resources to recover from the risk event.”
This is based on the assumption that:
•
Workers can become infected by external persons and spread the virus to
UNDER
other Stats NZ workers or into the wider community.
•
The Delta variant has a more severe impact on an individual’s health.
•
The vulnerability of possible contacts could be unknown.

RELEASED
LIKELIHOOD: LIKELY
By definition, the risk consequence “will probably occur with 50-80% expectation in the
next 12 months”.
This is based on the assumption that:
•  Delta has a significant viral load that expediates transmission of Covid 19.
•  Interactions are brief but they are frequent.
•  The reception environment is under Stats NZ control and has existing visitor
management in place. These contain and manage visitor traffic.

As a result, the risk rating of Very High 20

VERY HIGH 20


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RESIDUAL RISK (AFTER CONTROLS)
ACT
INFORMATION

CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE moves to MAJOR
OFFICIAL
The Ministry of Health advises that vaccination reduces the impact on personal health for
those that are vaccinated and reduces transmission rates, which could impact the wider
THE
community.
By definition, “significant senior management attention would be required to recover from
the risk event”.
UNDER

LIKELIHOOD: LIKELY moves to UNLIKELY
After the below controls are put in place:
•  Masks
RELEASED
•  Hygiene Practices
•  Distancing
•  QR codes
•  Monitoring of controls
•  Vaccination
•  Signage
•  Traffic Light Framework
•  Covid 19 Stats NZ Protection Framework
By definition, “the risk consequence may occur at some time with a 5-30% expectation in the
next 12 months”.

The residual risk rating is Medium 8

      MEDIUM 8

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2.
ATTENDING INDOOR COMMUNITY EVENTS
Risk Context: Workers that are required to attend indoor events as part of their frequent
work duties. There is potential to be exposed to multiple contacts. There are challenges in
ACT
maintaining distance and natural ventilation is limited.

INHERENT RISK RATING (BEFORE CONTROLS)
INFORMATION
OFFICIAL
THE
UNDER

CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE
By definition, the consequence “would require extensive senior management attention and
diversion of resources to recover from the risk event.”
RELEASED
This is based on the assumption that:
•  Workers can become infected by external persons and spread the virus to other
Stats NZ workers or into the wider community.
•  The Delta variant has a more severe impact on an individual’s health.
•  The vulnerability of possible contacts could be unknown.

LIKELIHOOD: ALMOST CERTAIN
By definition, the risk consequence “will occur in most circumstances with 80%-100%
expectation in the next 12 months”.
This is based on the assumption that:
•  Indoor environment that generates high number of possible primary and secondary
contacts in close proximity.
•  There are limitations to natural ventilation.
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•  If a worker attends frequent external events, as a work activity, it increases the
potential to be exposed to the virus.
•  The vaccination status of possible contacts could be unknown.
ACT

The inherent risk rating is Very High 25

Very High 25

INFORMATION
RESIDUAL RISK (AFTER CONTROLS)
OFFICIAL
THE
UNDER

RELEASED
CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE moves to MAJOR
The Ministry of Health advises that vaccination reduces the impact on personal health for
those that are vaccinated and reduces transmission rates, which could impact the wider
community.
By definition, “significant senior management attention would be required to recover from
the risk event”.

LIKELIHOOD: ALMOST CERTAIN moves to UNLIKELY
After the below controls are put in place:
•  Hygiene practices
•  Masks
•  QR codes
•  Distancing
•  Vaccination
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•  Covid rules of the event venue
•  Traffic Light Framework
By definition, “the risk consequence may occur at some time with a 5-30% expectation in the
ACT
next 12 months”
The residual risk rating is Medium 8

MEDIUM 8

INFORMATION

3.
ATTENDING OUTDOOR COMMUNITY EVENTS
Risk Context: Workers that are required to attend outdoor events as part of their frequent
OFFICIAL
work activities. There is potential to be exposed to multiple contacts however distancing and
natural ventilation is achievable. THE
INHERENT RISK (BEFORE CONTROLS)
UNDER
RELEASED

CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE
By definition, the consequence “would require extensive senior management attention and
diversion of resources to recover from the risk event.”
This is based on the assumption that:
•  Workers can become infected by external persons and spread the virus to other
Stats NZ workers or into the wider community.
•  The Delta variant has a more severe impact on an individual’s health.
•  The vulnerability of contacts could be unknown

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LIKELIHOOD: POSSIBLE
By definition, the risk consequence “is likely to occur with a 30-50% expectation in the next
12 months”
ACT
This is based on the assumption that:
•  Delta has a significant viral load that expediates transmission of Covid 19.
•  Potential opportunities for transmission if in close proximity.
•  The vaccination status, covid status, could be unknown.
The inherent risk is rated at High 15
INFORMATION

High 15

OFFICIAL
RESIDUAL RISK (after controls)  THE
UNDER
RELEASED

CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE moves to MAJOR
The Ministry of Health advises that vaccination reduces the impact on personal health for
those that are vaccinated and reduces transmission rates, which could impact the wider
community.
By definition, “significant senior management attention would be required to recover from
the risk event”.

LIKELIHOOD: POSSIBLE moves to RARE
After the below controls are put in place:
•  Masks
•  Hygiene Practices
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•  Distancing when applicable
•  Vaccination
•  Covid rules of the event venue
ACT
•  Traffic Light Framework
•  QR codes
Outdoor events have the extra natural line of defence which is natural ventilation.
By definition, the risk consequence will only be realized in exceptional circumstances.

INFORMATION
This results in a residual risk rating of Low 4

LOW 4

OFFICIAL

THE
4.
FREQUENT VISITS TO MULTIPLE STATS OFFICES (WLG, CHCH, AKL)
Risk context: Workers that have frequent regional travel requirements and use public
transport and overnight accommodation. Unknown contacts could result in transmission
UNDER
between the Stats NZ Offices and into the wider community.

INHERENT RISK (BEFORE CONTROLS)
RELEASED

CONSEQUENCE: SEVERE
By definition, the consequence “would require extensive senior management attention and
diversion of resources to recover from the risk event.”
This is based on the assumption that:
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•  Workers can become infected by unknown contacts via travel and accommodation
and spread virus to Stats NZ workers from other regions.
•  The Delta variant has a more severe impact on an individual’s health.  ACT
LIKELIHOOD: ALMOST CERTAIN
By definition, “the event of transmission will probably occur with 80%-100% expectation in
the next 12 months”.
This is based on the assumption that:
INFORMATION
•  Frequent movement between regions increases the likelihood of wider transmission
organisationally and in the wider community.
•  Physical distancing is difficult on route.
OFFICIAL
•  Length of time of travel.
•  Delta has a significant viral load that expediates transmission of Covid 19.
THE
•  Using accommodation that is frequented by many unknown contacts.

UNDER
The inherent risk rating is Very High 25

Very High 25

RELEASED
RESIDUAL RISK (after controls)

CONSEQUENCE:  SEVERE moves to MAJOR.
The Ministry of Health advises that vaccination reduces the impact on personal health for
those that are vaccinated and reduces transmission rates which would impact the wider
community.
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LIKELIHOOD: ALMOST CERTAIN moves to UNLIKELY
After the below controls are put in place:
•  Masks
ACT
•  Hygiene Practices
•  Distancing when applicable
•  Vaccination
•  Follow Covid 19 procedures of public transport and accommodation venues
•  Traffic Light Framework
INFORMATION
•  QR codes
•  Covid 19 Stats NZ protection framework
•  Organisational travel restrictions and approval
OFFICIAL

By definition, the risk consequence may occur at some time with a 5-30% expectation in the
THE
next 12 months”.
The residual risk rating is MEDIUM 8
UNDER

Medium 8

RELEASED

Recommendations:
Based on the MOH assurance and guidance, the risk assessment indicates that staff in these roles
that conduct these activities will have greater protection if vaccinated.
This risk controls are subjected to regular review.

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References:

Public Service Workforce Guidance for the Covid 19 Protection framework
ACT
https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/assets/SSC-Site-Assets/Workforce-and-Talent-
Management/Public-Service-workforce-guidance-for-the-COVID-19-Protection-Framework.pdf
Beehive:  Press release from Hon Michael Wood, Govt back business to vaccinate workforces.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/govt-backs-business-vaccinate-workforces
INFORMATION
Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum guidance
Vaccination Policy Guidance
Government Health & Safety Lead
OFFICIAL
https://www.healthandsafety.govt.nz/news-and-events/news/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-agency-
THE
guidance/
MBIE guidance
Vaccines and the workplace » Employment
UNDER   New Zealand

Te Kawa Mataaho (The Public Service Commission) guidance
Vaccination Roll-Out Guidance
RELEASED
WorkSafe NZ: How to decide what work requires a vaccinated employee and WorkSafe’s
enforcement approach. Updated 27 October 2021
https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/managing-health-and-safety/novel-coronavirus-covid/how-to-
decide-what-work-requires-a-vaccinated-employee/

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