What is Health Surveillance?
Health surveillance or health monitoring is the monitoring of a worker by doctors to identify changes in their health status from exposure to certain hazards1. Hazards can include sound, substances or rays.
If you are a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), health surveillance/monitoring must be provided if there is a significant risk to workers’ health due to exposure to certain hazards1.
Health surveillance does not replace implementing effect control measures according to the Hierarchy of Controls. It provides additional measures to ensure workers remain safe and well in the workplace1.
Why should it be done?
It informs the PCBU if control measures are either not effective or if workers are becoming affected by hazard exposure, so action can be taken1.
What hazards need monitoring?
Hazards only become a risk and therefore harmful to workers if the extent and frequency of exposure exceeds the probability that a particular hazard may cause harm. There may also be legislative requirements for health surveillance of particular hazards including Schedule 14 of the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011.
Common industries that may be affected:
- Construction
- Emergency services
- Energy and utilities
- Manufacturing
- Mining
Common workplace chemical hazards include:
- Asbestos
- Benzene
- Chromium
- Crystalline silica
- Isocyanate
- Lead
- Organophosphates
Common workplace physical hazards include:
- Occupational noise or vibration
- Sunlight
- Heat
Common workplace biological hazards include:
- Blood and other body fluids
- Viruses
- Bacteria
Who needs to be monitored?
Anyone who is deemed to be at risk from a particular workplace hazard and/or according to WHS legislative requirements.
It is not realistic to undertake a blanket health monitoring program for all staff who may or may not be at any risk from a particular workplace hazard.
Role of Personal Protective Equipment
There is a hierarchy of preference for applying control measures within the workplace. This includes Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Although PPE is the least effective control measure within the hierarchy of controls, it is still extremely important when workers are exposed to hazards that pose significant risk to their health. Ideally, it should be a back-up for higher level controls where possible2.
When required, PPE should be fit for purpose (meet specific standards if applicable, in good working order, appropriate for the hazard and environment) and used properly by the worker.
How do workplace hazards affect workers?
Different workplace hazards have different effects on workers. Some hazards can cause immediate/acute health effects and other hazards can be insidious and only develop over a longer period of time.
This is why it is important to have a suitable health surveillance program in place to identify workplace hazards and their associated risks, any relevant legislative requirements and to ensure workers’ health is not compromised.
Next Steps
Health surveillance/monitoring of workers to identify changes in their health status from exposure to certain workplace hazards must be carried out or supervised by an appropriate health monitoring doctor.
Our team at MAX Health are experienced in developing, implementing and managing workplace health monitoring programs to ensure any changes in worker health status is detected and managed appropriately.
For further information, please feel free to reach out to our friendly team at MAX Health.
