SOP-13 Health, Welfare & Returning to Work

1 Quick reference card

This quick reference card is the short version of this SOP. It is one page of the Quick Reference Handbook, the ring of cards in the cab. If you only have 30 seconds, use the card. The full procedure starts below.

⚕️

SOP-13 Quick reference

Health, Welfare &
Returning to Work

When health gets in the way

Side A

If This Happens – Do This

1Injured or unwell at work: stop safely, first aid, tell Operations or your supervisor now.
2See a doctor and get a Work Capacity Certificate for any work-related injury.
3Fatigued mid-shift: tell Operations immediately. Never punished.
4Heat: dizzy, cramping, nauseous? Stop, rest, drink, tell Operations.
5Abused, threatened, harassed? Incident Report in Mitti, same shift – and use the support.
6Domestic or family violence affecting you? Tell your supervisor: confidential support, contacts and paid leave.

Serious injury or illness

Call 000. People first, everything else after.

Asking for help is never punished

Fatigue reports, health matters and honest concerns stay confidential and are never punished. Help early beats an incident every time.

⚕️

SOP-13 Quick reference

Health, Welfare &
Returning to Work

Rules, checklist & contacts

Side B

Key Rules & Thresholds

Work injury

Report Now

To Operations or your supervisor, same shift, plus a Work Capacity Certificate.

Fatigue report

Never Punished

Tell Operations as soon as you feel it.

Return to work

RTW Plan

Your Return to Work (RTW) plan: suitable duties, medical advice – confidential.

Abuse of drivers

Incident Report

Racism, abuse, harassment: Incident Report in Mitti, same shift.

After a Work Injury

First aid received / 000 if serious
Operations or supervisor told – same shift
Incident Report done in Mitti
Doctor seen; Work Capacity Certificate obtained
Certificate given to Operations
RTW plan agreed – follow it inside and outside work

Contacts

Emergency000

Operations07 3733 3599

2 Purpose

This SOP tells you what to do when injury, illness, fatigue, heat, or the way you were treated affects you. It also explains how you come back to work.

3 Applies To

All drivers on TBS services – TBS employees and contracted drivers alike (not the drivers of self-managed operators, who follow their own procedures). Steps marked Supervisor are performed by your supervisor or Operations. Leave, pay, insurance and Return to Work plans come from your employer. Contracted drivers: your own company’s rules apply to those; on the day, TBS supports you the same way.

4 Scenarios – Trigger → Action

Find the situation that matches, and do the steps in order.

AYou Are Injured or Become Unwell at Work BA Condition Outside Work Affects Your Duties CReturning to Work After Injury or Illness DFatigue During a Shift EHeat or Cold Stress FAbuse, Racism, Harassment or Stress GDomestic or Family Violence Is Affecting You

Scenario A – You Are Injured or Become Unwell at Work

1
Driver Stop safely if you are driving. Serious injury or illness: call 000.
2
Driver Get first aid. Every vehicle carries a sealed first aid kit; trained first aiders are at every depot. Serious? Call 000 (step 1).

3
Driver Tell Operations or your supervisor straight away – the same shift, every time.
4
Driver See a doctor. Ask for a Work Capacity Certificate for any injury or illness caused by work.
5
Driver Complete the Incident Report in Mitti (SOP-06).
6
Supervisor Support the driver, arrange cover, and start the Return to Work plan with them today. Help starts now, not after the paperwork.

Scenario B – A Condition Outside Work Affects Your Duties

7
Driver Tell your supervisor before your shift about any injury, illness or medication that could make it unsafe for you to work (see also SOP-01).
8
Driver Too unwell to work at all? Never attend work unfit. Tell your supervisor as early as you can and use personal (sick) leave.
9
Driver Worried a colleague is not fit to drive – very tired, unwell, or affected by drink, drugs or medicine? Tell your supervisor straight away, in private. Never put it in a Hazard Report. It is a duty, and you are protected for it.

Confidential, always

Your health information goes only to the people who must know. Telling us protects your job. Hiding a condition puts your job – and you – at risk.

Scenario C – Returning to Work After Injury or Illness

10
Driver Before you drive again you may need a medical clearance from your doctor. Blow over 0.000 and you are stood down without pay until you provide a clean sample; management review it with you before you drive again – your supervisor tells you when.
11
Driver Work with your supervisor on your Return to Work (RTW) plan. It is built around what your doctor says you can do and your recovery goals.
12
Driver Lighter duties can be arranged while you recover, if your doctor says so.
13
Driver Follow your plan – inside and outside work – and tell the Coordinator about any change in your condition.
14
Supervisor Check progress, adjust duties, and deal with the doctors and insurers. Nobody is treated worse because of an injury or illness.

Scenario D – Fatigue During a Shift

15
Driver Recognise the signs: drifting concentration, slow reactions, heavy eyes, mood changes.
16
Driver Report it to Operations immediately. Do not push through.

Never punished – guaranteed

Reporting fatigue never leads to a penalty. Managing second jobs and rest between shifts is part of your duty; asking for help when it fails is part of the system.

Scenario E – Heat or Cold Stress

17
Driver Drink water often and take your breaks on hot days. Wear the hat and the lighter uniform options on hot days, the jacket on cold ones.

18
Driver Dizzy, cramps, feeling sick, or very cold? Stop safely, rest, drink, and tell Operations. Confused, collapsed, or hot skin with no sweat? That is heat stroke: call 000, then Operations.
19
Supervisor Watch the weather. In extreme heat or cold, change duties and swap tasks around. A driver whose health makes the weather harder on them gets extra support, in confidence.

Scenario F – Abuse, Racism, Harassment or Stress

20
Driver Treat it as a hazard – because it is one. Abuse, racism or harassment aimed at you – by passengers or colleagues – is a hazard to your health, the same as a spill or a bald tyre.
21
Driver Report it in Mitti as an Incident Report before the end of your shift (SOP-06). Colleague behaviour: you can also go straight to your supervisor or a manager.
22
Driver Use the support. After something upsetting, confidential help is there for you – ask your supervisor or Operations.

Self-disclosure is protected

Raise an alcohol, drug, stress or mental-health issue before it becomes an incident, and TBS puts you in touch with confidential support. Nobody is disciplined for coming forward – but if you cannot drive that day, you do not drive, and a day you cannot work is not paid.

Scenario G – Domestic or Family Violence Is Affecting You

23
Driver You can tell your supervisor or a manager – in confidence. You choose how much to share; your privacy and dignity are protected.
24
Driver Paid leave is available: 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave a year, plus other leave and flexible rosters where needed.
25
Driver TBS gives you support and contacts – phone numbers for confidential services, and someone to listen. A safety plan is built with your doctor or a support service; TBS fits your shifts and duties around it where it can.
26
Supervisor Respond with care and keep it strictly confidential. Put the driver in touch with crisis, counselling and money-help services, and help them make the first call if they want you to.

Confidential – always

Anything you disclose is shared only where necessary for your safety, and only with your knowledge. Support never depends on how much you tell.

5 Associated Forms & Tools

Item	What it is used for
Work Capacity Certificate	From your doctor – the basis of every Return to Work plan.
Incident Report (Mitti)	For injuries and abusive incidents.
Operations	Where your Work Capacity Certificate goes, and your point of contact through recovery and return.

Where do I find these forms?SOP-14 · The Forms and Reports – Your Shift, Start to Finish

6 Related SOPs

SOP	Title	Why it matters here
SOP-01	Pre-Shift: Fitness for Duty & Sign-On	Daily fitness, fatigue and medication rules.
SOP-06	Incident, Accident & Hazard Reporting	How injuries and abusive incidents are reported.
SOP-09	Customer Service & Complaints	Handling aggressive passengers in the moment.

7 Related Policies

These TBS policies are the source of this SOP. They carry the full rules and the legal detail.

Policy	What it covers
TBS Fitness for Work Policy	Fitness standards, reporting unfitness, medical clearance.
TBS Rehabilitation & Return to Work Policy	Early intervention, RTW plans, suitable duties, confidentiality.
TBS Fatigue Management Policy	Rest, self-monitoring, reporting without discipline.
TBS Drug & Alcohol Policy	Self-disclosure and support without discipline.
TBS Working in Hot & Cold Conditions Policy	Heat and cold stress controls and support.
TBS Domestic & Family Violence Policy	DFV leave, flexible arrangements, confidential referrals.
TBS Workplace Leave Policy	Unplanned-leave notification and never attending work unfit.

§ Version Control

Version	Date	Author	Approved by	Summary of changes
1.0	8 September 2026	Buswise	TBS approved	First issue.

Driver acknowledgement of this SOP is recorded in Mitti: the combined SOP document (SOP-01 to SOP-14) is acknowledged once, at onboarding, in Mitti Training.