The NSW Government has doubled its safety rebate to help small businesses be COVID safe. 

Small business owners and sole traders can now apply for a NSW Government rebate of up to $1,000 to make their workplaces safer with $1 million added to the Small Business Rebate Program.

Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said the rebate has been doubled and the program expanded with a renewed focus on helping businesses ensure they are COVID safe.

“We have doubled the rebate support from $500 to $1,000 per application to encourage small business owners and sole traders to think about how they can make their workplaces safer,” Ms Petinos said.

“Small businesses have experienced challenges through the Omicron wave of the pandemic and this initiative is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to support small businesses in bouncing back.”

Projects that may be eligible for the rebate include:

  • Workplace hygiene products including portable and fixed hand sanitiser stations and sneeze/cough guards

  • Access ramps to move products safely

  • Guard rails to reduce falls for those working at heights

  • Items that reduce risks of injury from lifting and moving heavy equipment

  • Forklift safety measures such as specialised seatbelts, anti-vibration seats, automatic stop/go barriers and reversing light systems

  • Machinery protection measures such as pressure mats with auto cut-off sensors

  • Protections including ramps to load goods onto vehicles, conveyor systems and specialised stacking and racking systems

  • Specialised hearing protectors for noisy workplaces to prevent industrial deafness

  • Sunshade protection to help safeguard outdoor workers from sunburn and skin cancer

More details are accessible here.