Owners corporations in Victoria are responsible for ensuring the implementation of actions documented in the COVIDSafe Plan at their sites. The guidelines for COVID safety particularly highlight many of the challenges of strata and high-rise living during a pandemic.

Following the occurrence of alarming events in public housing towers during the pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) hosted roundtable meetings with various government departments, Vic Police, City of Melbourne, resident groups and community leaders to discuss the unique challenges of controlling COVID-19 infection in high-rise apartments.

Why apartment parcel lockers are important

With one in ten Australians living in apartments (ABS, 2016), it is obvious high-rise living is popular across the country. The efficient management of the novel coronavirus is of critical importance in apartment towers, given the high density of these environments.

The COVIDSafe Plan applies to all common areas and shared facilities in such buildings. One aspect of coronavirus management in high-rise apartments is that of managing deliveries safely, which can be accomplished using parcel lockers. As specialists, Groundfloor understands the need for safe and efficient management of parcel deliveries, and therefore, welcomes the guidelines for deliveries into apartments. 

DHHS guidelines for deliveries into apartments: 

  • Residents should pick up deliveries from the ground floor entry.
  • Those in quarantine should not allow deliveries into their home nor come into contact with couriers.
  • Visitors should be requested to maintain at least 1.5 metres distance from others.
  • Records of workers and subcontractors at the premises for 15 minutes or more should be kept. 

With Groundfloor parcel lockers, apartments can quickly implement these recommended actions.

How Groundfloor’s apartment parcel lockers address DHHS guidelines:

1. Groundfloor systems provide 100% contactless delivery and collection. 

Groundfloor’s free-to-use courier mobile app allows fast, contactless delivery with building staff not required to interact with couriers since the parcels are delivered directly into the lockers. Similarly, residents do not need to interact with delivery personnel either since they are automatically notified of their delivery with an SMS on their phone. When they are ready to collect, they can simply scan a code at the locker to open the door. The locker doors can be closed with a gentle elbow nudge after collecting the parcel.

Groundfloor’s digital signature eliminates the need for physical signatures and provides utmost security and traceability. 

2. Courier details will not need to be recorded.

The system records all details related to every delivery and any required details can be retrieved in the administrative dashboard.

3. Locate your parcel lockers outside to minimise visitor numbers.

With COVID regulations restricting people to their homes, delivery volumes have seen a dramatic and unprecedented rise; even the frequency with which couriers are delivering into the same buildings has increased. By locating Groundfloor parcel lockers outside the apartment building under shelter, the entry of couriers into lobbies and common areas can be avoided.

4. Keep couriers out of your lifts.

Since couriers deliver straight into these parcel lockers, door-to-door delivery of parcels is completely eliminated. The delivery process can be completed much faster while the delivery personnel need not enter lifts, which assists with meeting physical distancing recommendations in both lifts as well as lift waiting areas.

Get in touch to find out how Groundfloor can address your building’s unique needs for parcel delivery.