Travelling for Work and Service: Staying Safe, Sane and Supported on the Road and in the Field

For some of us, travel is more than a work requirement. It is a way of life. Between site visits, training camps, and activities with organisations such as the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) and Bush Search & Rescue (BSAR), I have clocked more kilometres than I care to count. Airports, roadhouses, gravel car parks and remote bivouacs all blur into one. While the variety keeps things intriguing, it also brings unique safety and well-being challenges that must be managed just as seriously as any other job hazard.

Preparing for an evening flight out to Rocky after a hard day's work at Brisbane airport.

Life on the Move

Travelling for work or volunteer service sounds exciting until you are running on three hours of sleep, navigating unfamiliar roads or trying to find a decent meal in the middle of nowhere. Add exposure to the elements, physical fatigue and limited communication in field environments, and the risks will quickly multiply.

I have witnessed numerous skilled operators exhaust themselves due to their mistaken belief that endurance equals resilience. The truth is that fatigue, dehydration, isolation and mental overload do not discriminate. Whether you are a manager driving between depots or a staff cadet trekking through dense bushland, the same principles apply: plan, pace and protect yourself.

Looking After Yourself on the Road and in the Field

1. Plan for Rest and Recovery – Fatigue management is not just a compliance issue; it is survival. Schedule rest before and after travel or field activity. If driving, stop every two hours and rotate drivers where possible. In field environments, incorporate recovery periods into your activity schedule, rather than treating them as a last-minute consideration.

2. Manage Nutrition and Hydration – Fuel your body correctly. Road trips and camps often mean poor food options, but it is worth packing decent snacks, fruits, or hydration tablets. In the bush or during operations, ensure that water planning includes contingencies for temperature, terrain, and duration.

3. Maintain Routine Where Possible - Routines act as stabilisers. Whether it is a morning stretch, journaling or a communication check, small and consistent habits reduce stress and maintain control in changing environments. For field activities, maintain personal discipline around hygiene, hydration, and downtime.

4. Prioritise Sleep – Do not underestimate the effect of disrupted sleep. Travelling workers often push through long days, then struggle to rest in motels or tents. Create a calm environment by using earplugs, blackout masks, and limited screen time before bed. Make sleep part of your safety strategy, not a luxury.

5. Stay Connected - Isolation can be physical and psychological. Check in regularly with family, colleagues, or your chain of command. In field operations, use scheduled radio or phone check-ins to maintain morale and accountability.

6. Monitor Your Mental Health – Extended time away from home, combined with physical demands and high expectations, can take a toll. Acknowledge it. Utilise available support networks, such as peers, mentors, chaplains, or employee assistance programmes, before you reach burnout.

7. Manage physical strain – Travel often includes lifting gear, hiking long distances, or operating equipment. Warm up properly, use correct lifting techniques and know your limits. Overexertion in the field is one of the quickest paths to injury or error.

Duty Holder Responsibilities

For employers, managers and activity leaders, duty of care does not stop at the depot gate or the base entry point. Under WHS legislation, the PCBU, or in defence and volunteer contexts, the responsible organisation, must ensure the health and safety of personnel so far as is reasonably practicable, including when they are travelling or operating remotely.

1. Risk Assessment and Planning: Assess the specific risks of travel and field activity. This task includes fatigue, isolation, vehicle use, environmental exposure and communication limitations. For field operations, consider terrain, weather and emergency response capacity.

2. Journey and Activity Management Plans – Implement journey management procedures for all travel involving significant distances or remote routes. For field activities, develop an activity safety plan that includes contingencies for injury, lost communications or severe weather.

3. Competent Supervision and Leadership: Ensure leaders and supervisors are trained and competent to identify fatigue, dehydration and stress in themselves and others. Leadership in these contexts is about vigilance as much as it is about direction.

4. Communication and tracking: Establish reliable communication methods, such as satellite, UHF, or mobile, where available, and maintain scheduled check-ins. Never rely on assumptions about coverage or location.

5. Emergency Preparedness - All travel and field operations should have clear emergency response procedures, including medical contingencies, evacuation plans and local emergency service contacts. Regular drills reinforce readiness.

6. Wellbeing Support – Encourage open discussion about wellbeing and mental load. Provide access to welfare or support staff and ensure travel schedules allow genuine recovery time. Burnout and overextension help no one.

Integrating Field Experience and Professional Standards

The overlap between professional WHS and field-based operations is significant. Both require structured planning, competent leadership, risk awareness, and self-management under pressure. A cadet bivouac in the snow and a logistics site visit to regional NSW share the same fundamental challenge: people working away from their base of support, exposed to unpredictable variables.

Leaders who model disciplined preparation and self-care set the tone for others. Those who treat fatigue, hydration and mental resilience as core safety factors, rather than optional extras, build teams that last.

Final Thoughts

Travel and field activities build capabilities, confidence, and connections. They also test our limits. Safe travel and field management rely on a balance between pushing forward and knowing when to stop; between independence and support; and between individual discipline and organisational structure.

Whether you are a long-haul driver, a WHS manager visiting depots, an outdoor leader, or an emergency service volunteer on callout, remember this: preparation, awareness and communication are your best controls.

Every journey and every exercise should end the same way: safely, with everyone accounted for and lessons learned for next time.