Background
Fitness for work is the capacity for a worker to do their role and job activities safely and productively. Fitness for work depends on external and individual factors.
Mining operations should go beyond a general assessment of health and fitness and assess if individuals are able to safely complete their specific work-related activities. This means taking into consideration the person's functional capacity, potential impact of any medical conditions they may have and external factors.
Mining operations should ensure all workers have access to persons who are appropriately qualified to address the fitness for work risks that are likely to occur at any part of the mining operation, including remote field work activities. The distance of the workplace from specialised services such as ambulance, hospital and medical centres should be taken into account when determining the qualifications and experience required for on-site fitness for work assessors.
Providing effective response to those who experienced a change in their fitness or health may increase the likelihood of positive health outcomes for the worker.
Summary of hazard
Fitness for work assessments inadequately assess individuals and inadequately consider external factors impacting on an individual's capacity to work safely.
Contributory factors
A worker's fitness to undertake required work may be inadequate if:
- pre-employment and subsequent periodic assessments are conducted by persons who are not appropriately qualified and do not understand the nature of the hazards at the mining operation
- employees are determined fit for work against an incorrect job description
- employers do not provide medical practitioners with sufficient details of the role activities and environment for them to adequately assess fitness for work
- employers develop medical assessment criteria without input from medical practitioners, or without provision for medical practitioners to comment on additional areas of concern
- medical assessment forms may not contain sufficient background information on the worker to allow the medical practitioner to fully consider all relevant factors
- procedures for assessing fitness for work do not adequately address heart disease.