The National Industrial Relations and Workplace Health & Safety Guide
APTIA National IR & WHS Guide (4278 KB)
This Guide provides a set of transport industry specific set of guidelines, templates, policies and procedures for transport operators. The Guide has been developed by the national body (BIC) through consultation with various organisations and association representatives across Australia.
This Guide is designed to assist transport operators of all sectors, with managing the shift in national requirements enforced through Fair Work Australia and the Department of Employment Education & Workplace Relations.
- An introduction – Acknowledgements; Disclaimers; An overview of APTIA; How to use the Guide
- Best practice Workplace Health and Safety:
- The history of the legislation and its applicability to and harmonisation with each state legislation
- The new terminology and legal implications of the WHS reform to public transport operators
- Best practice for transport operators in:
- Identification and reduction of workplace risks in the bus and coach depots
- Reporting and rectification of defective vehicles
- Managing work fatigue in the workplace
- The chain of responsibility, and
- Treatment of contractors and invitees.
- Recruitment and Retention – Letters of Engagement; Interviewing Employees; Discrimination and Training
- The Employment Contract – Awards; Enterprise Agreements; Individual Flexibility Agreements; Common Law Contracts
- Workplace Rights – What are they; Harassment and Bullying; Discrimination; Coercion; Consultation
- Employment rights - – includes harassment, discrimination, coercion and prejudicing employment rights; Long Service Leave; Superannuation; Equal Opportunity; Age
- Rates of Pay – Updated information for each State; Use of Office of Fairwork Ombudsman tools
- Making Agreements – How to Start; Fair Bargaining; Disputes; Protected Action; the BOOT; Terms and Conditions
- Ending the Employment Relationship – Dismissal (unfair and unlawful); Redundancies; Fixed Terms
- Policies, Forms and Templates
Health & Wellbeing Awareness Guide
In 2012 the Australian Government, through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace relations
(DEEWR) provided funds to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) under its Productivity
Education and Training (PET) Fund. The objective of PET was to create long term programs of education and
skills development to support cooperative and productive workplace relations that promoted national prosperity
and social inclusion for all Australians.
The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) as a member of ACCI contracted with ACCI to contribute to the objectives
of PET.
The Australian Public Transport Industrial Association (APTIA), the industrial arm of the BIC, along with
consultants, The Interact Group, a privately owned company, undertook a research project to identify health and
wellbeing issues within the bus and coach industry and to prepare a Health and Wellbeing Awareness Guide for
the benefit of the bus and coach industry.
The PET program was undertaken in 3 key stages:
- Conduct an Industry Workplace Survey
- Conduct an Ergonomic Workplace Assessment (Drivers only)
- Conduct a Health and Wellbeing Trial Program (All Employees)
The results of these stages are outlined in this Guide.
This Guide is not intended to be prescriptive on how to implement health and wellbeing initiatives and policies
in the workplace. Rather this Guide aims to assist organisations on being aware of health and wellbeing
issues in their workforce and provides some recommendations and policies that may assist with enhancing
the health and wellbeing of employees.
