Document Retention Schedule

Nomenclature

Term	Definition
APP	Australian Privacy Principle
CoR	Chain of Responsibility
DISP	Defence Industry Security Program
EP Act	Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA)
HV	Heavy Vehicle
HVNL	Heavy Vehicle National Law
ISM	Information Security Manual
NDB	Notifiable Data Breaches
PSPF	Protective Security Policy Framework
RT(V)	Road Traffic (Vehicles) Act 2012 (WA)
RTW	Return to Work
SDS	Safety Data Sheet
WC&IM	Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management
WMS	Westlink Management System

Purpose

This schedule defines the minimum retention periods and disposal requirements for all record types held by Westlink Logistics. It is the authoritative source for retention periods within the WMS. Where this schedule conflicts with summary tables in other documents, this schedule prevails.

Scope

This schedule covers all retained documented information across the Westlink Management System, including WHS records, employment records, financial records, contractual records, environmental records, transport and CoR records, security and clearance records, quality records, and general business records. It applies regardless of format (electronic, paper, or other media).

Definitions

Term	Definition
Retention period	The minimum time a record must be kept before disposal is permitted.
Trigger event	The event that starts the retention period (e.g. date of creation, end of employment, settlement of claim, end of contract).
Disposal	The action taken at the end of the retention period: destruction, de-identification, or transfer to archive.
Life of plant	The period from acquisition to decommissioning and disposal of the plant item.

Retention Schedule

The following table sets out the minimum retention periods for each record category. Longer retention may apply where required by contract, client requirement, or ongoing legal proceedings. Records subject to a legal hold, investigation, or audit must not be disposed of until the hold is released.

WHS Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Health monitoring records	30 years	Date of record	WHS Regs 2022 r.368, r.381	Secure destruction
Atmospheric monitoring	30 years	Date of monitoring	WHS Regs 2022 r.361	Secure destruction
SDS — long-latency chemicals	30 years	Date SDS superseded	WHS Regs 2022 r.344	Secure destruction
WHS incident records	5 years	Date of incident	WHS Regs 2022 r.12	Secure destruction
Risk assessments	5 years	Date superseded	WHS Regs 2022 r.35	Standard destruction
Training records (WHS)	5 years	Post-termination	WHS Regs 2022	Secure destruction
Plant inspection/maintenance	Life of plant + 5 years	Date of disposal	WHS Regs 2022 Part 5.1	Standard destruction

Employment Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Employee/contractor records	7 years	Post-termination	Fair Work Act 2009 s.535	Secure destruction
Payroll and leave records	7 years	Post-termination	Fair Work Act 2009 s.535	Secure destruction
Workers’ compensation claims	7 years	Post-settlement	WC&IM Act 2023, Limitation Act	Secure destruction
RTW plans and injury mgmt	7 years	Post-settlement	WC&IM Act 2023 Part 3	Secure destruction
Recruitment records (unsuccessful)	2 years	Date of decision	Best practice	Secure destruction

Financial and Corporate Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Financial records and reports	7 years	End of financial year	Corporations Act 2001 s.286	Standard destruction
Tax records	7 years	End of financial year	Taxation Administration Act 1953	Standard destruction
Contracts	7 years	End of contract	Limitation Act 2005 (WA)	Standard destruction
Deeds	12 years	End of deed	Limitation Act 2005 (WA)	Standard destruction
Insurance policies and certificates	7 years	End of policy period	Best practice	Standard destruction
Board/management minutes	Permanent	N/A	Corporations Act 2001	Archive

Transport and Chain of Responsibility Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
HV fatigue/maintenance (WA)	3 years	Date of record	RT(V) Regs 2014	Standard destruction
HV consignment/loading (WA)	3 years	Date of consignment	RT(V) Act 2012	Standard destruction
Weighbridge tickets	3 years	Date of trip	RT(V) Act 2012	Standard destruction
Vehicle inspection records	3 years	Date of inspection	RT(V) Regs 2014	Standard destruction
HVNL records (interstate)	3 years	Date of record	HVNL 2012	Standard destruction

Environmental Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Environmental monitoring	5 years	Date of monitoring	EP Act 1986 licence conditions	Standard destruction
Controlled waste consignment	3 years	Date of consignment	EP (Controlled Waste) Regs 2004	Standard destruction
Environmental incident records	5 years	Date of incident	EP Act 1986	Standard destruction

Security and Defence Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Security clearance records	7 years	Post-termination or clearance lapse	DISP, PSPF 2025	Secure destruction (ISM)
Security incident records	7 years	Date of incident	DISP, ISM	Secure destruction (ISM)
Security awareness training	5 years	Date of training	DISP	Secure destruction
OFFICIAL:Sensitive documents	Per originator direction	Per marking	PSPF 2025	Secure destruction (ISM)

Quality and IMS Records

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Internal audit records	5 years	Date of audit	ISO 9001 cl.9.2	Standard destruction
Management review records	5 years	Date of review	ISO 9001 cl.9.3	Standard destruction
Corrective action records	5 years	Date closed	ISO 9001 cl.10.2	Standard destruction
Customer complaints	5 years	Date closed	ISO 9001 cl.9.1.2	Standard destruction
WMS policies and procedures (superseded)	3 years	Date superseded	ISO 9001 cl.7.5	Standard destruction

International Freight and Customs Records

Records of international freight dealings must be retained for 5 years. The obligation falls on any party to a customs dealing — including a freight forwarder causing or receiving an import or export — not only the importer or exporter (Customs Act 1901 s.240(1B)); the duty is strict liability (s.240(1C)). Biosecurity import records must be kept and produced on demand (Biosecurity Act 2015 s.127). Records must not be altered during the retention period.

Record Type	Retention	Trigger	Authority	Disposal
Customs commercial documents (bills of lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, import/export declarations, broker instructions, cargo reports)	5 years	Date of import/export	Customs Act 1901 s.240	Standard destruction
Biosecurity import records (treatment and phytosanitary certificates, BICON permits, direction responses, cost-recovery receipts)	5 years	Date of import	Biosecurity Act 2015 s.127; Customs Act 1901 s.240	Standard destruction

Disposal Methods

Method	Applies To	Requirements
Standard destruction	UNOFFICIAL and OFFICIAL records without personal information	Cross-cut shredding for paper. Deletion with recycle bin emptied for electronic records.
Secure destruction	Records containing personal information, health records, classified information	Cross-cut shredding (P-4 minimum) for paper. Sanitisation or destruction of electronic media per ISM requirements. Destruction certificate retained.
Archive	Permanent records (board minutes, deeds)	Transfer to secure long-term storage. Index maintained for retrieval.
De-identification	Statistical or research records	Remove all personal identifiers per Privacy Act APP 11.2. Retain de-identified data only.

Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility	When
QHSE Manager	Maintains this schedule. Coordinates annual disposal review. Ensures destruction certificates are retained for classified material.	Annual review; on disposal
Managers and Supervisors	Ensure records within their areas are retained per this schedule. Identify records eligible for disposal. Apply legal holds when notified.	Ongoing; on legal hold notification
All Workers	Retain records per this schedule. Do not dispose of records before the minimum retention period. Report accidental destruction.	Ongoing

References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA)

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

• Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

• Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)

• Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 (WA)

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

• Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA)

• Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) — ACSC

• Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF)

• Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) — Security Governance Framework

• ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems — Requirements

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

• ISO 14001:2026 Environmental Management Systems — Requirements