Health Surveillance

What is Health Surveillance?

Health Surveillance is a system of ongoing health monitoring. In the workplace, this is undertaken with workers who have exposures that have known or suspected health risks. This is sometimes also referred to as Biological Monitoring. Health surveillance is one of the last components of hazardous substance management. It is designed to detect ill health effects in workers at an early stage and allow employers to better control and prevent the development of disease. In short, it demonstrates whether the health substance management process is working. It can also provide data to employers to evaluate workplace health risks.

Specific Health Surveillance Services

Resile regularly provides health surveillance services for a range of substances including:

• Crystalline Silica
• Isocyanates
• Lead
• Asbestos
• Any other hazardous chemical for which there is a valid test method for detecting health effects or exposure

It is a legal requirement for employees who are exposed to specific hazardous substances to undergo health surveillance. There are a number of substances requiring health surveillance under various state legislation. To better understand the risks and requirements for health surveillance for your organisation, contact Resile on 1300 737 453.

Crystalline Silica

Crystalline silica is one of the most abundant minerals in the earth’s crust. It is found in sand, clay, gravel, and almost all types of rock including marble and granite. It is a major constituent of bricks, tiles, granite, grout, mortar, bitumen and concrete and is found in high concentrations in engineered stone used to fabricate kitchen and bathroom benchtops. So when a worker is involved in cutting, grinding, sanding or polishing these materials there is a high risk of exposure to crystalline silica.

Respirable crystalline silica particles are so small they cannot be seen by the naked eye and are therefore easily inhaled deep into the lungs. Respirable crystalline silica particles also stay airborne long after larger dust particles have settled to the ground. There can be serious health consequences from exposure to respirable crystalline silica – Silicosis is an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica. It results in the formation of scar tissue in the lung, leading to a loss of lung function and sometimes eventually to lung cancer.

The recent resurgence of Silicosis cases is a serious concern for all workers and employers. Strict workplace safety processes, using the best health controls available, and proactive health monitoring are required to prevent or reduce workers’ risks.

Exposed workers should undergo respiratory function testing, and radiological assessments need to be performed to meet evidence-based standards.

Let Resile help you navigate this rapidly changing regulatory environment and ensure you have robust workplace practices in place to protect your workers from silica dust.