The WMC Fitness for Work standard was reviewed and revised during 2003 and 2004 and came into force on 1 January 2005. The revised standard has an increased focus on preventive, educational and rehabilitative measures. It requires an increased frequency of testing (targeting, on average, 3 alcohol and 3 drug tests per person per year) and places a greater emphasis on case management of individuals who have fitness-for-work difficulties. The underpinning philosophy is one of providing the greatest opportunity for successful outcomes, consistent with protecting the safety of everyone in the workplace. Although the new standard took much longer to finalise than was intended, many sites were already implementing the changes well before the official release data.

During 2004, we conducted 46,824 random and ‘for cause’ drug and alcohol tests, with 464, or just under one percent, recording positive results not associated with prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

• View the 2004 Fitness for Work test results.

The plan to develop company-wide fatigue management guidelines during 2004 was not achieved due to the need to focus on the revision of the Fitness for Work standard. Developing fatigue management guidelines is a high priority for 2005. The guidelines will draw heavily on the Minerals Council of Australia's resource document ‘Work Design, Fatigue and Sleep’ which was released in June 2004 as well as other recent research into fatigue management.

• Read about our approach to the Fitness for Work.