Requirements at each alert level

Find out how to work safely at each alert level during Covid-19.

Level 4

At Alert Level 4, Covid-19 is not contained. There is evidence of sustained and intensive community transmission.

The 2021 August Delta outbreak has plunged Aotearoa back in to Alert Level 4. Here’s what you need to know about doing business in a Level 4 environment.

Building, construction and maintenance services

Majority of work will be unable to continue in Alert Level 4. However, some building, construction, and maintenance services can operate if required for one or both of the following:

to address immediate risks to health and safety
nationally important infrastructure

Nationally important infrastructure means infrastructure that enables or supports supply chains that are needed for one or both of the following:

to provide for the current needs of people and communities
to enable or support the recovery of the whole or any part of New Zealand from the effects of Covid-19.

Any entity with statutory responsibilities for building and resource consenting that is necessary to enable the building, construction, and maintenance services.

Read the Governments guidance on businesses that can operate at Alert Level 4

Read Building Performance guide: Alert Level 4 for building and construction

Read WorkSafe's guidance on working at Alert Level 4

Level 3

Level 3 is underpinned by two principles:

Restrict the spread of the virus (community transmission may be happening).
Allow for economic activity to recommence, wherever possible, with limitations on physical interactions.

Read the vertical and horizontal protocols for level 3 (August 2021)

Read the residential construction protocols for level 3 (August 2021)

Under level 3, business premises can be open in a way that doesn’t spread the virus. There can be movement between sites for work.

In workplaces, the Government is asking employers to ensure that appropriate physical distancing of workers is maintained, that teams working together maintain a log of interactions and that there are limited interactions between groups of workers. Furthermore, the maintenance of high hygiene standards and the disinfecting of surfaces is required.

Travelling for work under level 3

Under level 3 you may travel for the purpose of providing a business or service that has the relevant control measures in operation if the business or service is in the same or adjacent region.

You may only travel to a non-adjacent region where doing so is necessary for the purpose of a business or service listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2 of the Health Act Order.

Before you travel, you should:

Check to see if your client organisation comes under the businesses or services listed.
Check directly with your client to confirm their interpretation.

If you have any other questions, not answered here or on other Government websites, let us know and we can follow-up with contacts in Government.

Read the latest advice from Business.govt.nz (August 2021)

Level 2

Construction Health & Safety NZ has released new protocols for level 2. While targeted at the construction sector, these protocols provide a useful operating model for any work site, in any sector.

Changes from level 3 vertical/horizontal protocols include:

Physical distancing onsite can reduce to 1m (or 2m from people you do not know)

Read the protocol (August 2021)

Changes from level 3 residential protocols include:

Physical distancing onsite can reduce to 1m (or 2m from those not in your work bubble)
Non-essential visitors can undertake site visits with prior notice.
Multiple trades can work onsite simultaneously
Workers can leave sites for food/drink as long as they sign in/out.