Fitness for Work Policy

Purpose

This policy establishes Westlink Logistics’ framework for ensuring that all persons performing work are physically and mentally fit to carry out their duties safely. It addresses fitness for work in relation to health, fatigue, medication, and any other condition that may impair a person’s ability to work safely.

Scope

This policy applies to all Westlink Logistics employees, contractors, subcontractors, and labour hire personnel across all work activities including heavy haulage operations, project logistics, maritime services, crane and rigging operations, workshop activities, and office-based functions. It covers fitness for work considerations including medical fitness, fatigue, psychological wellbeing, and the effects of medication.

Organisational Context

Westlink Logistics operates heavy vehicles, mobile cranes, and maritime vessels in safety-critical environments. Workers perform high-risk activities including heavy vehicle driving, crane and rigging operations, working at heights, and confined space entry. Fatigue is a significant risk factor due to extended shift patterns, night work, remote deployments, and multi-day operations across long-haul routes.

As a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA), Westlink has a primary duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers. Chain of Responsibility obligations under the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Act 2012 (WA) Part 4 apply to operations within Western Australia; the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) applies when Westlink operates interstate (SA, NSW, Vic, Qld, ACT, Tas) and extends fatigue management duties across the supply chain in those jurisdictions. Defence and resource sector clients impose additional fitness for work requirements including mandatory medical standards and zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policies.

Policy Statement

Westlink Logistics is committed to:

• Ensuring all workers are fit to perform their duties without risk to their own health and safety or the health and safety of others, through pre-employment medical assessments, periodic health monitoring, and fitness for work declarations appropriate to role risk.

• Managing fatigue as a critical safety risk through compliance with prescribed work and rest hours, scheduling practices that account for circadian disruption and cumulative fatigue, and monitoring through electronic work diaries or equivalent systems.

• Implementing drug and alcohol management in accordance with GOV-POL-003 Drug and Alcohol Policy, including pre-employment, random, for-cause, post-incident, and return-to-duty testing.

• Requiring workers to self-declare any condition, injury, illness, or medication that may impair their ability to perform duties safely, and empowering supervisors to stand down any worker assessed as unfit for duty. No adverse action shall be taken against a worker for a genuine self-declaration of unfitness.

• Meeting Chain of Responsibility obligations by ensuring that scheduling, consignment, and loading practices do not cause or encourage workers to exceed prescribed hours or work while fatigued.

• Providing access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees and their immediate family members, and supporting workers to manage physical and psychological wellbeing proactively.

Responsibilities

The Chief Executive Officer is accountable for this policy and for ensuring adequate resources are allocated for fitness for work management, including health assessments, fatigue management systems, and employee assistance programs.

The QHSE Manager is responsible for the implementation and administration of the fitness for work program, including coordination of medical assessments, fatigue management compliance monitoring, and reporting of fitness for work metrics to management.

Managers and supervisors are responsible for monitoring the fitness of personnel under their control, enforcing work and rest requirements, responding to self-declarations of unfitness, and escalating fitness concerns.

All workers are responsible for presenting fit for duty, complying with work and rest hour requirements, honestly disclosing any condition that may impair their fitness, participating in required health assessments and testing programs, and reporting concerns about the fitness of co-workers where there is a reasonable belief of risk.

Review

This policy is reviewed annually as part of the management review cycle, or earlier where significant changes occur to applicable legislation, fatigue management accreditation, or the organisation’s risk profile. This policy is communicated to all personnel and is available to interested parties on request.

Applicable Standards and Legislation

• Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA)

• Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (WA)

• Road Traffic (Vehicles) Act 2012 (WA) — Part 4

• Heavy Vehicle National Law 2012

• National Heavy Vehicle Fatigue Management Standard — Standard Hours, BFM, AFM options

• ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems — Requirements

• ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems — Requirements

• ISO 14001:2026 Environmental Management Systems — Requirements

Related Documents

• GOV-POL-001 Quality Policy

• GOV-POL-002 Work Health and Safety Policy

• GOV-POL-003 Drug and Alcohol Policy

• GOV-POL-007 Workplace Rehabilitation and Return to Work Policy

• QHSE-MAN-001 Westlink Management System Manual

• QHSE-PRO-001 Hazard and Incident Reporting and Investigation Procedure