The transport industry is diverse, made up of people of different skills and experience who work under different employment arrangements.

There are some workers who might be at greater risk of injury or illness while working and they may need extra support and consideration to stay healthy and safe at work.

There are four groups of workers who are most at risk of being injured at work:

• culturally and linguistically diverse workers
• migrant workers
• young workers
• labour hire workers.

At-risk groups

You must look after the physical and psychological health and safety of all workers:

• ensure that someone suitably skilled and knowledgeable trains workers how to do the job safely
• make sure workers understand the instructions they have been given. You may have to consider additional tools such as posters, audio training or publications in community languages
• ask the worker to demonstrate their understanding of safety and business procedures
• make sure workers are supervised by a competent person
• workers who operate equipment or vehicles may require a licence, e.g. Heavy Vehicle Licence or a High-Risk Work Licence. Ensure workers have current and valid licences where required and retain records of these licences and their expiry dates
• ensure that all workers have the right tools and equipment to do their job safely
• provide all workers the safety equipment needed to do their job, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and high visibility workwear, hard hat, safety glasses
• undertake health assessments for relevant roles, including heavy vehicle drivers, to screen for and assess workers’ fitness for duty
• ensure that workers understand that if they see any unsafe or damaged plant or equipment, they should raise it with a supervisor at once including isolating, and installation of lock out tags
• ensure that workers know the work health and safety consultation arrangements and how to report incidents and hazards in the workplace
• encourage workers to report unsafe conditions and practices
• consult with labour hire workers and their labour hire agency before making any changes to the scope or location of their work.

Download the At Risk Workers’ Strategy 2018-22 to find out more.

When young workers are involved, make sure you consider their:

• work experience and prior training
• ability to cope with unexpected, stressful situations
• knowledge and understanding of workplace rights and responsibilities
• willingness to speak up when they have an issue.

You can visit our young workers eToolkit to access a range of resources that have been specifically developed to support young workers’ safety.

SafeWork NSW has produced a fact sheet ‘Your Rights At Work Fact Sheet’ which explains the basic responsibilities of the worker and the employer.

This fact sheet and other resources are available in multiple languages including Arabic, Korean, Hindi, Filipino, Chinese, Punjabi and Malay.