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Fitness for Work

In order to support an organisation's effort to ensure a safe work environment, BSS offers a broad range of services across  the entire fitness for work area. 

Regulatory agencies increasingly require workplaces to actively exercise their duty of care by anticipating and addressing potential hazards. Most jurisdictions across Australia now have formal legislation or regulatory guidelines in these areas. BSS's services are tailored to support these guidelines while at the same time enhancing organisational effectiveness. 

What is "Fitness for Work"?

To be "fit for work" (FFW), an employee must be in a state (physical, mental and emotional) which enables them to perform assigned tasks competently and in a manner which does not threaten the safety or health of themselves or others. The potential to cause impairment and create increased risk in the workplace needs to be actively managed. BSS's services across fatigue, alcohol and other drugs (AOD) as well as stress align with this imperative. 

The Human and Organisational Costs

Research is indicating considerable cost across the organisation when fitness for work issues are not adequately addressed. The research carried out by Royal Adelaide Hospital Trauma Study 2007 provides an example. 

WORK ACCIDENTS
24% of patients from industrial / constructions sites were positive for alcohol or other drugs

56% of patients from a “trade” or “service” area were positive for alcohol or other drugs

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
Alcohol - 22.6%
Cannabis (THC) - 17.5%
Benzodiazepines - 14.7%
Amphetamines - 6.9%
Opiates - 3.3%

It has also been established that the use of alcohol and drugs is also associated with: 

•    an increased incidence of trauma,
•    more severe trauma,
•    longer hospital stays,
•    higher hospital admission rates, &,
•    worse clinical condition on arrival at hospital

Other research shows that AOD contribute significantly to costs through higher sick leave, accidents, damage, turnover and workers' compensation costs.

BSS's Experience in Assisting Organisations Establish FFW Programs

BSS's consultants have assisted a large number of companies both nationally and internationally in the following areas:

• Fitness for work policy development and implementation
  

• Employee fitness for work education programs in addition to AOD and Fatigue to ensure employees are aware of their obligations in this area and have the required skills to effectively manage their own fitness for work
  

• Supervisor training in the management of fitness for work issues including education about the importance of fitness for work
  

• Establishing appropriate rehabilitation and case management procedures to assist employees who may be unfit for work
  

• Providing or locating suitable treatment for employees with fitness for work issues
  

• Case managing employees with fitness for work problems
  

• Advice on the procedures and elements of a drug and alcohol testing program
  

• Provision of expert evidence in the Industrial Relations Tribunal
  

• Reviewing FFW programmes
  

• Breaches of fitness for work managed through individual assessment and workplace management plans

 

 

A distinctive feature of the employee fatigue training program is that every participant undertakes a thorough assessment of their sleeping and (if appropriate) shiftwork management practices. This enables them to establish an individually tailored plan to improve:

•    normal night time sleep
•    alertness management when on nightshift; and
•    ability to get to sleep, and stay asleep, during the day

 For further information regarding BSS's approach to FFW, please refer to our publications which are listed through our Products and Resources section on this website and available through BSS upon request at bss@bsspsych.com.au