Tool-O

Platform Availability Policy

This Platform Availability Policy explains Tool-O's approach to maintaining the availability, accessibility and operational reliability of the Platform.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose

This Platform Availability Policy explains Tool-O's approach to maintaining the availability, accessibility and operational reliability of the Platform.

While Tool-O aims to provide a stable and dependable marketplace, uninterrupted availability cannot be guaranteed.

1.2 Objectives

The objectives of this Policy are to:

promote reliable Platform access;

explain service availability expectations;

minimise operational disruptions;

support planned maintenance activities;

improve service resilience;

communicate service interruptions transparently;

support continuous improvement.

1.3 Scope

This Policy applies to:

the Tool-O website;

mobile applications;

user accounts;

messaging services;

booking services;

payment functionality;

notifications;

APIs;

and other Platform services operated by Tool-O.

1.4 Guiding Principles

Tool-O seeks to manage Platform availability in accordance with the following principles:

reliability;

security;

resilience;

transparency;

continuous improvement;

responsible operational management.

1.5 Relationship with Other Policies

This Policy should be read together with the:

Service Level Policy;

Business Continuity Policy;

Security Policy;

Trust & Safety Policy;

all other Platform policies.

1.6 Updates

Tool-O may amend this Platform Availability Policy from time to time.

The latest version published on the Platform replaces all previous versions.

2. PLATFORM AVAILABILITY

2.1 Availability Objective

Tool-O aims to make the Platform available on a continuous basis; however, uninterrupted or error-free access cannot be guaranteed.

Platform availability may be affected by factors both within and outside Tool-O's reasonable control.

2.2 Planned Maintenance

Tool-O may perform planned maintenance to:

improve Platform performance;

deploy new features;

address security risks;

install software updates;

perform infrastructure upgrades;

improve reliability.

Where reasonably practicable, advance notice of planned maintenance may be provided through the Platform or other communication channels.

2.3 Emergency Maintenance

Tool-O may perform emergency maintenance without prior notice where reasonably necessary to:

protect Users;

address security incidents;

prevent system failure;

respond to technical faults;

comply with legal obligations;

maintain Platform integrity.

2.4 Service Interruptions

Temporary interruptions may occur due to circumstances including:

software failures;

hardware failures;

internet connectivity issues;

telecommunications outages;

cloud infrastructure incidents;

cyber security events;

power interruptions;

third-party service failures;

natural disasters;

other unforeseen events.

2.5 Third-Party Dependencies

Certain Platform functionality depends upon third-party providers including:

payment processors;

cloud hosting providers;

internet infrastructure providers;

mapping services;

authentication services;

messaging providers;

notification services.

Tool-O is not responsible for outages or service interruptions caused solely by third-party providers.

2.6 User Responsibilities

Users are responsible for ensuring they have:

reliable internet access;

compatible devices;

supported browsers or applications;

updated software where reasonably required;

appropriate security protections for their own devices.

2.7 Scheduled Updates

Tool-O may periodically update the Platform to:

improve security;

improve performance;

introduce new functionality;

fix defects;

improve usability;

comply with regulatory requirements.

Some updates may temporarily affect Platform availability.

2.8 No Guaranteed Uptime

Unless expressly stated in a separate written agreement, Tool-O does not guarantee:

any minimum uptime percentage;

uninterrupted service;

continuous availability;

immediate restoration following an outage;

availability of every Platform feature at all times.

2.9 Service Restoration

Following a service interruption, Tool-O will seek to restore affected services as reasonably practicable, having regard to:

the nature of the incident;

User safety;

data integrity;

technical requirements;

operational priorities.

2.10 Continuous Improvement

Tool-O continually seeks to improve Platform reliability through infrastructure enhancements, monitoring, maintenance, security improvements and ongoing operational development.

3. PLATFORM RELIABILITY AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT

3.1 Monitoring

Tool-O may monitor Platform performance to:

detect service interruptions;

identify technical issues;

improve reliability;

support incident response;

enhance User experience;

protect Platform security.

3.2 Incident Response

Where a significant operational incident occurs, Tool-O may take reasonable measures to:

investigate the issue;

contain the impact;

restore affected services;

protect User data;

minimise disruption;

prevent recurrence where reasonably practicable.

3.3 Service Prioritisation

During service disruptions, Tool-O may prioritise restoration of critical Platform functions, including:

User authentication;

Booking services;

payment processing;

messaging;

account access;

security functions.

3.4 Temporary Feature Restrictions

Tool-O may temporarily disable, suspend or limit certain Platform features where reasonably necessary to:

perform maintenance;

address security risks;

investigate technical issues;

prevent misuse;

improve system stability;

comply with legal obligations.

3.5 Data Integrity

During outages or maintenance activities, Tool-O seeks to preserve the integrity, security and availability of User data.

However, Tool-O cannot guarantee that data will never be affected by circumstances beyond its reasonable control.

3.6 Communications

Where reasonably practicable, Tool-O may communicate significant service interruptions through:

Platform notifications;

email;

status pages;

help centre announcements;

other appropriate communication channels.

3.7 Disaster Recovery

Tool-O may maintain disaster recovery procedures designed to assist in restoring Platform operations following significant operational events.

Recovery timeframes may vary depending upon:

the nature of the incident;

infrastructure availability;

third-party service restoration;

technical complexity.

3.8 Force Majeure

Platform availability may be affected by events beyond Tool-O's reasonable control, including:

natural disasters;

acts of government;

armed conflict;

terrorism;

industrial action;

widespread internet failures;

utility outages;

pandemics;

cyber attacks;

other force majeure events.

Tool-O will not be responsible for service interruptions solely resulting from such events, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

3.9 Continuous Operational Improvement

Tool-O may continually review its infrastructure, monitoring systems, operational procedures and recovery capabilities to improve Platform resilience and availability.

3.10 Responsible Service Management

Tool-O is committed to operating a secure, reliable and resilient marketplace while recognising that temporary interruptions may occasionally occur as part of responsible technology management.

4. REVIEW, COMPLIANCE AND POLICY ADMINISTRATION

4.1 Governance

Tool-O is responsible for administering this Platform Availability Policy and may maintain operational procedures designed to support the reliability, resilience and availability of the Platform.

4.2 Compliance

Tool-O seeks to manage Platform availability in accordance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements and recognised operational practices where appropriate.

Nothing in this Policy guarantees uninterrupted service or excludes, restricts or modifies any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

4.3 Policy Review

Tool-O may periodically review this Policy to reflect:

legislative changes;

operational experience;

technological developments;

cyber security improvements;

infrastructure enhancements;

User feedback;

evolving marketplace requirements.

4.4 Operational Review

Tool-O may periodically review:

service availability;

maintenance procedures;

incident response processes;

monitoring systems;

disaster recovery arrangements;

operational resilience.

The purpose of these reviews is to support continuous Platform improvement.

4.5 Improvements

Tool-O may implement operational improvements including:

infrastructure upgrades;

software improvements;

enhanced monitoring;

security enhancements;

redundancy measures;

recovery capability improvements.

4.6 Relationship with Other Policies

This Platform Availability Policy should be read together with the:

Service Level Policy;

Business Continuity Policy;

Security Policy;

Data Retention Policy;

all other Platform policies.

Where there is any inconsistency, the Terms of Use prevail to the extent permitted by applicable law.

4.7 Contact

Questions regarding Platform availability or this Policy may be directed to Tool-O using the contact details published on the Platform.

4.8 Policy Updates