Starting a site-based role for the first time is different from starting most other jobs. There is more to do before your first day than you might expect, and showing up unprepared — without the right documentation, the right gear, or a clear understanding of what inductions involve — can delay your start or create a poor first impression that sticks. The good news is that the process is predictable. Once you know what to expect, it’s straightforward to work through.
Whether you’re heading to a mining site in WA, a construction project in Queensland, or a manufacturing facility in Victoria, the core pre-start requirements are broadly similar. Safety-critical environments operate to a higher standard than most workplaces precisely because the consequences of an underprepared worker are serious. The formal process exists to protect you as much as anyone else on site.
If you’re still in the process of finding your first site role, this guide on how to get a labour hire job in Australia covers the full picture from registration to placement. This article picks up from where that one leaves off — once you have a role confirmed and you’re preparing for day one.
Key takeaways
- The pre-start process — medicals, drug screening, documentation checks — happens before your first day, not on it. Delays in this stage delay your start date.
- Inductions on complex sites can take a full day and involve multiple stages. You cannot start productive work until all stages are cleared.
- Know what PPE you are expected to bring versus what the site provides. Arriving without required equipment causes delays and looks unprofessional.
What a pre-employment medical actually involves
Most site-based roles require a pre-employment medical before you start. The scope of the medical depends on the role and the employer, but common components include:
- Basic physical assessment: Blood pressure, heart rate, height, weight, and general fitness indicators.
- Hearing test (audiometry): Standard for most industrial and resources roles because noise-induced hearing loss is a significant occupational risk. Your results are recorded as a baseline — future tests will be compared against this.
- Vision test: Checking for basic visual acuity. Some roles with plant or vehicle operation requirements have minimum vision standards.
- Functional assessment (musculoskeletal): For physically demanding roles, the medical may include an assessment of your ability to perform specific movements — lifting, bending, sustained postures — relevant to the job. This is a functional capacity evaluation, not a pass/fail fitness test. Its purpose is to match you to roles that suit your physical capacity.
- Spirometry (lung function): Required for some roles involving dust or chemical exposure.
One important point: if you have a pre-existing injury or medical condition, disclose it on the form. Failing to disclose can create serious problems later — workers compensation claims can be complicated, and if it emerges that you withheld relevant medical information, your entitlements may be affected. Disclosure protects you. Most conditions do not automatically disqualify you from site work.
Drug and alcohol screening
Drug and alcohol screening is standard before starting a site-based role and continues periodically or randomly once you’re on site. Depending on the employer and site requirements, this will be either an oral fluid (saliva) swab or a urine test. Both test for the same categories of substances — cannabis, methamphetamines, opiates, cocaine, benzodiazepines — and both are conducted by an accredited collector.
A non-negative pre-employment result will typically result in the offer being withdrawn. There is no negotiation on this point for safety-critical sites. If you have any concerns about your result, address them before you book the screening appointment.
Documentation and right-to-work checks
Before you start, your labour hire provider or employer will verify your right to work in Australia. This means you need to present original identity documents — not copies. The standard requirement is 100 points of ID, typically a passport or birth certificate plus a second form of photo ID.
Depending on the role, you may also need to provide:
- Trade qualifications or apprenticeship completion certificates
- Current driver’s licence (and any heavy vehicle or plant licences relevant to the role)
- High Risk Work licences (for rigging, scaffolding, crane operation, elevated work platforms)
- Construction induction card (White Card) — mandatory for any construction site in Australia
- Industry-specific certifications (e.g. ERTiS for explosive sites, gas ticket, confined space entry)
Gather these documents before your first conversation with the site coordinator. Scrambling for them at the last minute is one of the most common reasons start dates get pushed back.
Inductions: what they are and why they take time
Site inductions are not just box-ticking. They exist because safety-critical sites have specific hazards, specific procedures, and specific rules that differ from site to site. A worker who hasn’t been inducted is genuinely unprepared to work safely.
Most complex sites use a multi-stage induction structure:
- Corporate or company induction: Covers the employer or labour hire provider’s policies — code of conduct, HR procedures, safety obligations, emergency response. Often completed online before you arrive.
- Site induction: Specific to the physical site — where the muster points are, what the permit-to-work system requires, how to report hazards, site-specific rules (no phones in certain areas, PPE requirements by zone, exclusion zones). Usually delivered in person on arrival.
- Task or area-specific induction: Before starting specific high-risk work — confined space entry, working at heights, operating specific plant — you’ll complete a further induction or toolbox talk specific to that task.
On a complex site, the site induction alone can take half a day. On major resources or civil infrastructure projects, a full induction day before any productive work is common. This is normal and expected — don’t be frustrated by it. Your supervisor knows day one is largely administrative.
PPE: what to bring versus what’s provided
There is a common and avoidable mistake here: assuming the site will provide everything. Sites typically provide shared or consumable PPE at the site level — hard hats and hi-vis vests are often available — but personal protective equipment that is fitted to the individual is generally your responsibility to bring. This typically includes:
- Safety boots: Steel-capped or composite-capped, compliant with AS/NZS 2210. You are expected to own these and bring them.
- Hearing protection: Earplugs or earmuffs, depending on the work environment. Sites provide these but having your own preferred type is better practice.
- Safety glasses: Again, sites may provide these, but a good-fitting pair that you’re comfortable wearing all day is worth owning.
- Gloves: Type depends on the work. Ask before you arrive what the standard requirement is.
- Hand tools for trades: If you are a tradesperson, you are expected to bring your own hand tools. Sites do not supply personal trade kits.
Before your start date, confirm with your labour hire provider or the site coordinator exactly what is required. The question to ask is: “What am I expected to bring on day one that the site won’t provide?” One clear answer saves a delayed start.
Common first-timer mistakes
- Arriving late: Induction groups often start at a fixed time. Miss it and you may not be able to start work that day.
- Not having ID documents ready: If you can’t prove right to work on day one, you can’t start. Bring originals, not photos on your phone.
- Not knowing where to report: Large sites have multiple entry points and staging areas. Know specifically where you need to be and at what time.
- Not declaring pre-existing injuries on the medical: This is the most consequential mistake. Undisclosed conditions don’t disappear — they complicate workers compensation claims later and can be treated as misrepresentation.
- Expecting to be productive on day one: You won’t be, and that’s fine. Arriving with the right mindset — that day one is setup and orientation — reduces frustration and creates a better first impression than impatience does.
Related reading
If you haven’t yet secured a site role and are still in the job-seeking phase, start with Working FIFO in Australia: Pay, Rosters, Lifestyle and What to Expect — it covers the FIFO context that many first site-based roles sit within.
Related services
Staffing Services — Programmed Skilled Workforce: Labour hire and permanent placement across resources, civil, industrial, and renewables sectors. We coordinate pre-employment checks, medicals, and inductions as part of the placement process.
Managed Skilled Workforce: End-to-end workforce solutions for project and operational sites, including mobilisation support and induction management.
FAQ
Who pays for the pre-employment medical?
In most cases, the employer or labour hire provider covers the cost of the pre-employment medical. Confirm this with your provider before you book the appointment. If you are asked to pay upfront, clarify whether reimbursement is provided and what the process is.
How long does the whole pre-start process take?
If your documentation is in order and medicals are booked promptly, the pre-start process typically takes three to seven business days. Delays usually come from one of three things: waiting for medical results, missing documentation, or not having required tickets. Get your documents together early and follow up if you don’t hear back within a day or two of completing each step.
What if I fail the pre-employment medical?
A pre-employment medical result that identifies a condition doesn’t automatically disqualify you. The occupational physician or nurse assesses fitness for the specific role — a condition that affects one type of work may not affect another. If your result raises concerns, ask for clarification about what the finding means for your specific role and whether alternative duties or a specialist review would help.
Can I complete the online induction on my phone?
Most online induction platforms are mobile-compatible, but some require a computer for video or assessment components. Check the induction system requirements before the night before your start. Completing it on a laptop with a stable internet connection is more reliable than a phone with patchy reception. Allow at least ninety minutes — some inductions run longer.
Next step
Ready to get started? Register with Programmed Skilled Workforce and our team will walk you through the pre-start requirements for the roles and sites you’re targeting. The sooner your documents and medicals are sorted, the sooner you’re working.
General information only: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legislation varies by state and territory — consult a qualified employment lawyer or Fair Work adviser for guidance specific to your situation.
