• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Definitions 
• Section 3 - General Principles 
• Section 4 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 5 - Records of Documentation  
• Section 6 - Revision and approval history 
• Section 7 - References 
• Section 8 - Related Documents 

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) The purpose of this procedure is to ensure the management of risks associated with fitness for work and fatigue at Southern Cross University (SCU) are appropriately managed and controlled. 

(2) The purpose of this procedure is to ensure Southern Cross University’s management, employees, contractors, students, visitors and others are aware of the risks associated with fitness for work and fatigue in the workplace, management strategies and to provide advice on appropriate controls. 

(3) All employees, students and others including both independent contractors and contractors under SCU control are to be made aware of and follow this procedure. 

(4) This Procedure applies to all SCU Work Units and sites. The procedure aligns with WHS legislation in the relevant jurisdictions SCU operates in. 

(5) This procedure outlines a Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) and includes responsibility and governance; training and education; risk assessment and mitigation; and monitoring and evaluation. 

Section 2 - Definitions 

Section 3 - General Principles 

(6) It is SCU’s duty of care to ensure that all individuals are fit for work while they are on undertaking activities on SCU’s behalf.  

(7) Fitness for work may be affected by:  

1. Medical Conditions  
2. Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs  
3. Fatigue  

(8) If it is believed that an individual may not be fit for work, intervention is necessary to manage the risk to health and safety. 

Medical Conditions 

(9) If an employee has a medical condition that could affect their fitness for work, they must inform their supervisor about the potential impact of the condition on their work. However, the employee is not required to disclose confidential medical information that does not affect their ability to perform their duties safely and effectively. 

(10) Special attention should be given to the appropriate use of medication. Individuals must ensure that both prescription and non-prescription medications are taken safely. This includes: 

1. Discussing with the prescribing medical practitioner the nature of their duties and understanding any possible side effects of the medication that may impact their safety or performance at work. 
2. Notifying their manager or supervisor of any medication they are taking that could affect their safety or performance at work. 
3. Taking medication strictly under the medical practitioner’s or manufacturer’s recommendations. 
4. Reporting any side effects that may impact their safety or performance at work to both their medical practitioner and their manager or supervisor. 

Alcohol & Drugs 

(11) Employees must ensure they are fit for work by managing their drug and alcohol use. This entails: 

1. Complying with the conditions and terms outlined in the SCU Code of Conduct. 
2. Ensuring that any prescription or non-prescription medication is taken safely and does not cause impairment. 

Fatigue 

(12) SCU operates under a shared responsibility framework for fatigue management. This framework outlines a dual duty of care. It is the responsibility of SCU to: 

1. Develop and maintain appropriate safe systems of work. 
2. Ensure that rosters provide sufficient time away from the workplace for employees to have enough sleep. This may include both bio-mathematical modelling and roster dimension analysis and must take into consideration workgroup and employee circumstances. 
3. Provide appropriate fatigue training for employees, managers, supervisors, and schedulers. 
4. Ensure that there is at least one appropriately qualified individual to oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of the FRMS. 
5. Ensure that appropriate consultation is undertaken concerning rostering, fatigue risk management, and the implementation of new systems. 
6. Develop achievable milestones for the implementation of FRMS requirements, including specific deliverables and deadlines. 

(13) It is the responsibility of employees to: 

1. Undertake relevant training and education as determined by SCU. 
2. Implement and utilise relevant fatigue risk management documentation. 
3. Adhere to the fatigue risk management procedure. 
4. Use time away from work to obtain sufficient sleep and balance personal commitments such as volunteer work.
5. Use appropriate channels to report if they have either had insufficient sleep in the previous 24 or 48 hours or if they are experiencing any signs or symptoms of fatigue. 
6. Apply the SCU Outside Work Policy where applicable.

Rostering Hours of Work Guidelines  

(14) Ordinary hours of duty for professional staff employees will be 35 per week, to be worked during the normal hours of operation of the University, between 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday inclusive (as per EA 2024: Clause 430). 

(15) The hours of work for employees working shifts will be 35 hours per week, averaged over a 12-week period (as per EA 2024: Clause 461). 

(16) Shift patterns may be fixed or rotational provided that no roster will be established requiring an employee, including a casual employee, to work a fixed night shift.  The standard shift duration to be worked on any day will be a maximum of 10 hours, but by agreement may be extended to a maximum of 12 hours.  The minimum shift duration to be worked on any day will be four hours.  Subject to the variation of the maximum shift duration in accordance with clause. No employee will be required to work more than four 10-hour shifts in any one week (EA 2024 Clauses 463-466). 

(17) No employee will be required to work more than five 4–8-hour shifts in any one week.  There will be a minimum 10-hour break between concluding one shift and commencing the next shift.  

(18) There may be instances where an employee is directed to resume duty without having taken a 10-hour break between shifts, including a situation where the employee did not have a 10-hour break because they were required to work overtime at the end of the preceding shift (as per EA 2024 Clauses 467 and 468)  

Overtime Guidelines  

(19) Wherever practicable, employees will be given 48 hours’ notice of the requirement to work overtime. An employee is entitled to refuse the requirement to work overtime if the overtime would be unreasonable having regard to any risk to the employee’s health and safety, and the employee’s personal circumstances, including any family responsibilities.  

(20) The University does not condone or encourage employees working unreasonable overtime. Unreasonable overtime is defined as working more than 20% of an employee’s ordinary hours averaged over three months (as per EA 2024 Clauses 411 and 412).

(21) Maximum of 12 hours worked continuously, (overtime and ordinary hours) with a minimum break of 10 hours after the cessation of overtime. 

(22) Any occurrence of an employee working more than 12 hours must complete an Incident report in RiskWare. 

Training and Education 

(23) There are four levels of training:  

1. employee training,  
2. leader, supervisor,  
3. scheduler training, and 
4. training of a FRMS suitably trained individual.  

(24) Training should be conducted per the Fatigue Management Training and Education Scope. 

Risk assessment and mitigation 

(25) Risk assessments must be performed if the Rostered Hours of Work guidelines are exceeded or before they are exceeded.  

(26) Any employee demonstrating any signs of fatigue must complete a Fatigue Risk Assessment as described in this section and an Incident report must be recorded in RiskWare.  

(27) Note: Where an employee has had fewer hours of sleep than 5 hours in 24 hours or 12 hours in 48 hours, they must report to their manager/supervisor and complete a fatigue risk assessment. 

Fatigue likelihood 

(28) To calculate an individual fatigue likelihood score, use the one-minute fatigue self-assessment ‘Fatigue Safe’ app. Speak to your supervisor to discuss controls if you rating is amber or greater. 

Fatigue Monitoring and evaluation 

(29) Monitoring and evaluation must be undertaken to ensure that: 

1. The fatigue risk management system as outlined in this document is functioning as intended (i.e. is fatigue risk being managed under this procedure - compliance). 
2. And is effectively mitigating the risk of fatigue-related errors (functionality). 

(30) In determining compliance and functionality, the following metrics should be used: 

1. Actual hours of work compared with planned rosters. 
2. Overtime. 
3. Fatigue Risk Assessments. 
4. Hazard, incident, and injury data. 
5. Use and efficacy of control measures. 
6. FRMS compliance data; and 
7. Further opportunities for improvement. 

Support for Fitness to Work 

Management of an Employee Not Fit for Work 

(31) If an employee is identified or assessed as unfit for work, the Manager will determine the proof needed to manage the fitness for work issue and decide under what circumstances the employee can return to work. Fitness for work management may include: 

1. Restrictions or modifications of duties/tasks. 
2. Provision of alternative duties, if available. 
3. Time off from work. 
4. Case management will align with SCU’s Injury & Illness Rehabilitation Process and Non-Work-Related Injury & Illness Rehabilitation Process where appropriate. 
5. Modified or restricted duties allow employees to return to work or stay at work while performing tasks appropriate to their functional capabilities. 
6. Provision of Alternative Duties, if Available 
7. Temporary or permanent medical deployment may be considered when an injured worker cannot fully and safely perform their usual duties. 
8. Time Off from Work 

(32) If employees cannot work and suitable duties are unavailable, they will use accumulated personal leave. If no personal leave is available, they can use annual leave, rostered days off, or flex time. If all leave entitlements are exhausted, the employee will be placed on leave without pay. 

Disciplinary Action 

(33) The Fitness for Work Procedure aims to support employees in addressing fitness issues. However, ongoing fitness issues, refusal to attend medical assessments, or breaches of this procedure may lead to disciplinary action. Procedures outlined in the SCU enterprise agreement will be followed before taking disciplinary action against an employee for misconduct or serious misconduct. 

Employee Treatment and Support 

(34) Some employees may need treatment and support for illness, injury, fatigue or substance abuse. Employees needing assistance, or identified by SCU management as needing assistance, will be encouraged to seek help through: 

1. Employee Assistance Program 
2. Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinators 
3. External Medical Practitioners 

Education and Awareness 

(35) Employees, contractors, and visitors will be informed of this procedure during induction and throughout their employment. 

Section 4 - Roles and Responsibilities

(36) Refer to WHS Responsibility and Accountability Statement.

Section 5 - Records of Documentation  

(37) All relevant documentation will be recorded and kept in accordance with WHS Legislation and other legislative obligations including:  

1. Training records. 
2. Risk assessment must be kept for 28 days after the work to which it relates is completed. 
3. Notifiable incident: all records must be kept for two years after the incident. 

Section 6 - Revision and approval history 

(38) This procedure will be reviewed as per nominated review dates or because of other events, such as: 

1. Internal and external audit outcomes. 
2. Legislative changes. 
3. Outcomes from management reviews. 
4. Incidents. 

Section 7 - References 

Section 8 - Related Documents