Everything you need to know about Health Surveillance

About Health Surveillance

Health surveillance is a system of health checks to manage risk to your employees.

A comprehensive program of regular surveillance and monitoring assessments can identify potential medical issues early that may result from exposure to harmful chemicals, air or waterborne diseases and hazardous environments.

• Health checks may be required by law

  Health checks may be required by law in industries where employees may be exposed to noise or vibration, ionising radiation, solvents, fumes, dusts, biological agents and other substances hazardous to health (see Schedule 14 in the Safe Work Australia Act), or work in compressed air. When there are workplace hazards with predictable risk, employers are required by law to establish a health risk management program. Sometimes businesses adopt a program voluntarily — for instance, to protect workers from sun exposure. If you aren’t sure, KINNECT can help guide you through the relevant steps.
• The purpose of Health Surveillance is to keep workers safe

  Systematic checks are required to detect any indicators of possible harm at the earliest possible stage so action can be taken to optimise the continuing good health of the worker.
• It’s not just about health checks

  Health Surveillance is not done in isolation. Programs should be designed to complement the health and safety controls you already have in your workforce — including personal protective equipment, safe working methods, policies and procedures.
• How to determine the risk in your organisation

  Significant risk decisions are made taking into consideration the likelihood of exposure to a hazardous chemical alongside the known health effects of the chemical. You should consider instigating a health monitoring program for chemicals with severe known health effects — for example chemicals known or presumed to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to human reproduction, respiratory or skin sensitisers, or those with other severe toxic effects. KINNECT can help by facilitating consultation with a Supervising Doctor.

How Worker Health Can Be Monitored

The right monitoring depends on the industry, hazard and substance.

The type of monitoring required varies greatly. KINNECT designs programs that combine medical history, examination and biological testing with worker education so problems are caught early.

• Reviewing Occupational & Medical History

  Programs typically include a worker’s personal medical history, occupational history, review of records of previous exposure (such as how long they may have been exposed to a substance), and a physical examination to look for any bodily changes. Crucially, the focus is proactive — providing health advice and education so workers know what to look out for.
• Biological Monitoring

  Biological testing detects the presence of a chemical in the body or a result indicating the potential for harm caused by exposure. This may include audiograms, respiratory (lung) function tests, skin checks, chest X-rays, low-dose high-resolution CT scans, and testing for specific chemicals in blood, urine or skin. The type of testing varies depending on the type of exposure.
• When should you monitor workers?

  Health monitoring is generally completed routinely throughout a worker’s employment — at commencement (baseline monitoring), during employment (periodic or post-exposure monitoring), and on exiting employment.
• How do you know if your program is working?

  Negative results indicate your monitoring system and controls are working well. “Non-negative” or adverse findings could indicate a failure of your safe systems of work that needs investigation, or an incidental finding with another explanation. Either way, the explanation must be decided by a suitably qualified medical practitioner.

Who Can Help Monitor Worker Health

Interpretation of results requires the right qualifications.

The law states that interpretation of health monitoring results can be performed by a qualified health practitioner (e.g. a Nurse). However, for an abnormal result, interpretation must be provided by a suitably qualified medical practitioner. This requirement is embedded in Safe Work Australia’s model laws, regulations and Codes of Practice — and applies across every Australian jurisdiction.

Detecting an adverse finding means a “failure” of safe systems of work has already occurred. A good system is evidenced by negative results. If a non-negative result is detected it could be a real workplace issue requiring investigation by the employer — or an incidental finding with another explanation.