Concussion care for FIFO and regional workers in WA
Reviewed November 2026 by Online Concussion Clinic, a Perth-based telehealth concussion physiotherapy service. How this site is run
A concussion on a remote mine site, a farm or in a regional town comes with extra challenges: the nearest concussion-trained clinician may be hours or a flight away, and many roles are safety-critical. Here’s how to get the right care wherever you are in WA.
Call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department if there is:
- Loss of consciousness, or getting drowsier or harder to wake
- A seizure or convulsion
- Severe or worsening headache
- Repeated vomiting
- Neck pain or tenderness
- Double vision or loss of vision
- Weakness, tingling or burning in the arms or legs
- Increasing confusion, agitation, restlessness or unusual behaviour
- A visible deformity of the skull
For children, the emergency department at Perth Children's Hospital (Nedlands) is open 24 hours. If you're unsure, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (24 hours) for nurse advice.
On site or in a regional area
- Report it and see the site medic or your nearest doctor or nursing post. Serious warning signs need emergency care or evacuation.
- Certificates of capacity: normally from your treating doctor, but in regional or remote areas, the doctor who gave you initial treatment can also issue one.
- Follow your site’s fitness-for-work rules. Driving, operating plant, working at heights and other safety-critical tasks should wait until you’ve been medically cleared.
- Plan the trip home. Don’t drive long distances while you have symptoms; arrange a lift or flight.
Telehealth concussion care
Much of concussion care — checking symptoms, guiding a graded return to activity and work, home exercise for dizziness and neck pain, and planning a return to your roster — can be done by video, so you don’t have to wait until you’re back in Perth. Some tests still need an in-person visit, and a telehealth clinician will tell you if you need one.
If you’re on a workers’ compensation claim, check with your insurer that telehealth sessions will be covered.
Getting back on roster
- A graded return — for example lighter or shorter shifts before a full swing — is often easier than going straight back to 12-hour days.
- Fatigue and sleep on roster can keep symptoms going. Night shifts may need to wait.
- Clearance for safety-critical work comes from your doctor, guided by your site’s medical policy.
Getting back to work
Most people recover from a concussion within a few weeks, and a gradual return to work usually helps recovery rather than slowing it. Staying home until every symptom has gone isn’t recommended.
- Start with reduced hours or modified duties, then build up as symptoms allow.
- Screen and concentration-heavy work: regular short breaks, larger text, and fewer meetings back-to-back.
- Noise and bright light: a quieter workspace if these bring on symptoms.
- Safety-critical tasks — driving, operating machinery, working at heights, or anything where slowed reactions put you or others at risk — should wait until your doctor clears you.
- A small rise in symptoms is OK. If symptoms clearly worsen or don’t settle within an hour, ease back.
Your doctor records what you can do on your certificate of capacity, and a concussion physiotherapist can help plan the stages with you and your employer.
Find a provider
Browse providers offering telehealth, or find a provider by area. Scheme details were confirmed by the directory in November 2026 — it’s still worth mentioning your claim when you book, and asking about any gap fee.
Where this information comes from
- WorkCover WA. Information Sheet 30: Certificates of capacity. workcover.wa.gov.au
- Patricios JS, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport (Amsterdam 2022). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023. bjsm.bmj.com
- Australian Institute of Sport. Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement 2024. ausport.gov.au/concussion
Certificate details are from WorkCover WA. This page was checked in November 2026. It explains how the schemes work and is general information only — it isn't legal, insurance or medical advice.