Why do you need it?
A Rail Safety Worker Assessment is a nationally legislated medical assessment for rail safety workers which aims to ensure that employees can continue to conduct their work safely in accordance with the National Standard for Health Assessment of Rail Safety Workers | National Transport Commission (ntc.gov.au).
It also aims to ensure early identification and management of health conditions that might impact on an employee’s work if left untreated.
The current Rail Safety Worker Assessment scheme was born from the recommendations of the enquiry into the Waterfall Rail Accident, which occurred on 31/1/2003 which killed seven people and injured 40. A review of the medical standard occurred in in the last two years and the new standard came into effect on 11 November 2024.
There are three categories based on risk. Determination of which category a rail safety worker falls into is, a requirement of the Rail Operator/employer, based on consideration of the following question: To what extent does the worker’s physical and psychological health impact on the safety of the public or the rail network?
Category 1
These are the highest level of safety critical worker. These workers require a high level of attentiveness to their task. Sudden incapacity or collapse (e.g. from a heart attack or blackout) may result in a serious incident affecting the public or the rail network. An example on a category 1 task is driving a single-operator train on the commercial network.
Category 2
These workers also require high levels of attentiveness. A Category 2 worker is in an environment where fail-safe mechanisms, or the nature of their duties, ensure sudden incapacity or collapse does not affect safety of the rail network. For example, signallers are often classified as Category 2 because fail-safe signal control systems protect the safety of the network in the case of worker incapacity.
Category 3
Around the Track Personnel (ATTP) who perform non-safety critical tasks around the track -an uncontrolled environment.
Category 4
Workers who operate in a controlled environment are categorised as Category 4 and are not required to have health assessments under the Standard.
How does it work?
Resile arranges Rail Safety Worker Assessments for clients nationally with Approved Health Professionals (AHP). Our approach ensures a consistent approach to quality. We can deliver services in our clinics, via our network providers or at your site for the convenience of your organisation and your employees.
What is included in a Rail Safety Workers Assessment?
Category 1 Rail Workers Safety Medical
- Medical Examination
- Resting ECG
- Blood Glucose
- Full Lipid Profile
- Full Audiometry Test
- Vision Test
- Musculoskeletal / Neurological Examination
- Cardiac Risk Score
- Medical Questionnaires
- Drug and Alcohol Test (pre-employment of change of category).
Categories 2 Rail Workers Safety Medical
- Medical Examination
- Full Audiometry/Hearing Test
- Urine test for glucose
- Vision Test
- Musculoskeletal / Neurological Examination
- Medical Questionnaires
- Drug and Alcohol Tests (pre-employment of change of category).
Categories 3 Rail Workers Safety Medical
- Medical Examination
- Modified Audiometry/Hearing Test
- Vision Test
- Musculoskeletal / Neurological Examination
- Medical Questionnaires
- Drug and Alcohol Tests (pre-employment or change of category).
When are health assessments required?
- Pre-placement or change of risk category health assessments
- Periodic health assessments
- Triggered health assessments. These assessments may be prompted at any time as a result of concerns about your health. They are particularly important for ensuring appropriate management of sudden or unexpected illnesses. The assessment may be initiated by your employer or by you.
FAQs
If you are a paid employee, your employer will pay for the assessment.
No, you must be and Authorised Health Professional. There are two types of Authorised Health Professionals:
- Those who are authorised to conduct all health assessments, including assessments for Safety Critical Workers (Category 1 and Category 2) and Track Safety Health Assessments (Category 3). These are medical practitioners only.
- Those who are authorised to conduct Track Safety Health Assessments (Category 3) only. These are health professionals with appropriate health qualifications and professional registration such as a registered nurse, occupational therapist or physiotherapist.
To become authorised, health professionals must be suitably qualified, complete approved training and be registered with the AHP Program. Resile offers the CMO briefing as part of the AHP training and recertification training.
Resile stores the health information for the assessments we conduct. The employer is provided with the Request and Report Form as per the National Standard for Health Assessment of Rail Safety Workers.
