Fitness for Duty Policy

Having a comprehensive OHS program and providing adequate safety training for workers won’t make the workplace safe and compliant with OHS laws if workers show up unfit to work.  Workers may be unfit because they’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs (legal and illegal), injured, sick or exhausted. And unfit workers may be a danger to both themselves and their co-workers. So it’s important that workers understand that you expect them to be fit for duty when they’re in the workplace.

  1. POLICY STATEMENT

____________________ has an obligation to provide a healthy and safe working environment for workers, contractors and others and is committed to the prevention of occupational injury and illness.

All persons are to be fit for duty and:

  • Present in the workplace in a responsible and safe manner;
  • Maintain a high standard of professionalism and personal conduct; and
  • Perform their duties without imposing unacceptable risks to the health and safety of themselves or others.

If any person at the Company’s workplace is assessed as not fit for duty:

  • They must report to [insert name of appropriate person, such as HR director or safety coordinator] and co-operate in assessing and managing the risks involved; and
  • [Insert name of appropriate person] must take action to minimize the risk to the health and safety of that person and other personnel.
  1. PURPOSE

To ensure everyone working or present at a Company workplace is fit and capable of undertaking the tasks required of them with minimal risk. This Policy and the supporting procedures cover the preventative and remedial actions that are to be followed to ensure fitness for duty.

  1. SCOPE

This Policy and supporting procedures apply to everyone working at or attending a Company workplace. All persons must comply with this Policy and procedures as a condition of their site access. The Company may restrict a worker’s duties if it believes that the worker’s fitness imposes an unacceptable risk due to:

  • Work-related injury or illness;
  • Non work-related injury or illness
  • Stress and/or fatigue;
  • Physical or mental deterioration; and
  • Influence of alcohol or prescribed/non-prescribed/illegal drugs.