Why do you need it?
Health Monitoring is a system of ongoing assessment of an individual to detect health effects in at an early stage and to be able to intervene and prevent the development of disease.
Health monitoring is not a control and does not replace then need for use of the hierarchy of controls, such as substitution, isolation, administration and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Health Monitoring is required when:
- Australian legislation sometimes prescribes specific health monitoring in certain conditions (Crystaline Silica Health Monitoring is required in Qld for Construction workers who wear respiratory protection 30 days or more a year by Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and manufacturing of construction elements Code of Practice 2022 (worksafe.qld.gov.au),
- risk assessment indicates significant risk to health and the substance which is specified in legislation (Schedule 14 of the model regulation adopted by most states)
- risk assessment indicates significant risk to health and there are appropriated monitoring methods.
Health monitoring depending on the substances can include:
- specific questionnaires
- biological monitoring – blood test or urine tests
- chest x-ray
- hearing testing
- lung function testing
- skin examination.
Why? – Specific Health Monitoring Services
Resile regularly provides health monitoring services for a range of substances including:
- Crystalline Silica
- Welding
- Isocyanates
- Lead
- Asbestos
- Chromium
- Cadmium
- Benzene
- Mercury
- All other substances listed in Work Health and Safety Regulations
- 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 where risk assessment has indicated significant risk to health or there is another legislative trigger to undergo health monitoring. To better understand the risks and requirements for health monitoring for your organisation, contact Resile on (07) 3339 6088.
How does it work?
Risk Assessment
Health monitoring should be provided if the risk assessment indicates significant risk to health. The determination of whether an exposure is significant and warrants health monitoring is the first step, and our Occupational Physicians have the expertise required to assess your risk.
We can assist the employer or a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) in determining the risk to health through risk assessment. Generally, workers in Similar Exposure Groups where monitoring indicates that exposure is 50% or the Occupational Exposure Limit will require health monitoring.
We recommend health monitoring after we have discussed with you a range of factors that have been identified by risk assessment as having the potential to cause adverse health outcomes.
Occupational Hygiene
Environmental monitoring may be required to assess the effectiveness of existing control measures or if the concentration of a chemical is not certain. Our Occupational Hygienists and Occupational Physicians work closely on projects to ensure your organisation has the full picture. We are the only Occupational Medicine company with full-time Occupational Hygienists on staff.
Customised Health Monitoring
Health monitoring may include a number of specific assessments as outlined above. Often an employee will be exposed to multiple hazards requiring health monitoring.
We have used evidence based methods and published guides to construct a health monitoring program that meets the requirements for each exposure, wihtout repeating testing unnecessarily.
We use the expertise of our Occupational Physicians to ensure that only the right tests, for the right person, occurs at the right time, ensuring the best protection for the worker, their families, and their employer.
Often, when we assess the health surveillance protocols of an organisation, we find that workers are undergoing unnecessary or incorrect tests for the exposures that they have in the workplace. These tests have the potential to miss changes from exposures or show unrelated changes. Before commencing monitoring of employees, speak to us first to ensure you get the right advice first time.
Delivery of Health Monitoring
Resile can deliver examination and biological monitoring as part of your Health Monitoring Program:
- at your workplace (convenient for workers and employers),
- at our clinics or
- via our network partners.
We have a team of certified doctors to complete the health monitoring or supervise the health monitoring as per legislative requirements.
Recalls
Let us take the burden out of managing a health monitoring program. ROLF provides recall management to ensure you don’t miss an important health assessment date. Talk to us about this function and how we can assist you.
FAQs
No. The Commonwealth and State Workplace Health legislation outlines the mandatory substances, however there is a requirement in legislation to conduct health monitoring if risk assessment indicates significant risk to health and there is a suitable health monitoring method.
Our Occupational Physicians can provide specific advice on the health risks associated with exposure in your workplace, the controls that can be put in place to minimise exposure, and the best health monitoring processes.
The person conducting the business or undertaking who engages the worker.
