The purpose of this review is to ensure that the medical standards contained in Assessing Fitness to Drive (Austroads 2006) and the National Health Assessment for Rail Safety Workers (NTC 2004) are current and up to date, and reflect the needs of the drivers and the rail industry. Medical standards for driver licensing purposes, and for certifying rail safety workers as fit to work, are important measures to help keep the road and rail networks safe. Medical standards are prescribed, and nationally agreed, to ensure a consistent level of safety across Australia. This discussion paper seeks advice from key stakeholders including the medical community (medical practitioners and other health professionals), drivers (of commercial and private vehicles), rail operators and their employees, coroners, unions and state and territory regulators (road and rail). In addition, anyone who has an interest in this project can provide a submission to the National Transport Commission (NTC) for consideration within the scope of the project. The scope of the project is to focus on the medical standards. Although many issues relating to the administration of the standards have been highlighted in the past, particularly in relation to the standards for driver licensing, national initiatives to introduce new single national road and rail regulators will address many of the issues relating to inconsistencies across states and territories. For this reason, administrative issues are outside the scope of the review. Some specific issues to be considered as part of the review are contained in section two. The NTC will be working with stakeholders to identify and resolve the key issues before producing a report, along with a draft version of the updated standards for consultation early next year. It is anticipated that approval by Ministers of the Australian Transport Council (ATC) will be sought by August 2010. New versions of the standards will be available for use shortly after that. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting