Health Surveillance Worker FAQ

Health Surveillance (sometimes called Health Monitoring) is a regular check designed to spot early changes in your health caused by exposure to certain workplace hazards. This can include:

• Asbestos
• Scheduled chemicals, including inorganic lead
• Any other hazardous chemical with a recognised test for exposure or health effects

By law, your employer must arrange Health Surveillance if all three of these apply:

• You use, handle, generate or store hazardous chemicals.
• The work is ongoing rather than a one-off.
• There is a real risk to your health from that exposure.

Most workers have a baseline assessment first (usually at pre-employment) so we know your starting point. After that, you are checked at regular intervals set by the supervising doctor — the frequency depends on the chemical and your level of exposure. An Exit Medical is also recommended when you stop working with the substance.

The law requires Health Surveillance to be carried out by, or under the supervision of, a registered medical practitioner with experience in health monitoring. KINNECT employs Occupational & Environmental Physicians and a team of Occupational Health Doctors who oversee every assessment. Meet our clinical team.

Each chemical has its own ideal testing window — give a sample at the wrong time and the result will not reflect your real exposure. We have a guide that lists the correct timing for each substance so you know exactly when to provide your sample. Read the biological exposure window guide.

No. We track when you're next due, but your employer is the one who triggers the booking with us. If you think you're overdue, check in with your manager.

So we can find you an appointment that fits your life as much as possible. We still have to work within your employer's expectations and the clinic's schedule, so the more dates and times you give us, the easier (and faster) it is to lock in your booking.

You'll receive a text message and email with a link to choose days, times and locations that suit you. Just pick what works and we'll do the rest. If the link is playing up, call our bookings team on 1300 546 632 and we'll take it down over the phone.

No — Health Surveillance assessments need a referral from your employer and pre-payment via credit card or account. We don't accept cash on the day.

The link works best in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Try a different browser or device first. If it still won't load:

• Call us on 1300 546 632 and we'll capture your availability over the phone.
• If it's the medical history or paperwork link, don't stress — you can complete it on an iPad at the clinic on the day.

Not quite. Availability is a wishlist; your appointment is only confirmed once you receive a text and email confirmation with the date, time and clinic details. If we can't fit you in within your preferred slots, we'll call you to sort something out.

As soon as the clinic confirms a slot. If a few days have passed and you've heard nothing, give our team a call on 1300 546 632.

Health Surveillance is mostly done at KINNECT clinics or at our network of KINNECT Affiliate Clinics. Some employers ask that workers within an hour of a KINNECT clinic attend there, because Affiliate clinics cost more and don't always offer every test. We know that isn't always convenient — see our full list of clinics on the Our Locations page.

Some Health Surveillance assessments include tests that aren't all available at one clinic — a Chest X-ray, for example, may need a separate radiology appointment. Splitting the assessment lets us complete every required test even if one provider can't do it all.

Life happens, and we'll do what we can to help. Just be aware:

• Cancellations, reschedules and no-shows usually attract a fee that's charged to your employer, and that fee climbs the closer it gets to your appointment.
• Whether we can move your booking is sometimes up to your employer rather than us.

Please pick your availability carefully and let us know as soon as anything changes. Read our cancellation and reschedule policy.

We want you at your best on the day. If you're not sure whether to push ahead or wait until you've recovered, get in touch and we'll review your situation and give tailored advice. Call 1300 546 632 or visit our contact page.

Please bring a recent audiologist report (within the last 12 months). Your hearing test is performed without your hearing aids, and we'll give you a clean, safe place to store them during testing. If you can't remove them, let us know before your appointment so we can arrange specialist audiology testing — we can't run a standard hearing test with hearing aids in.

Caffeine raises your heart rate and blood pressure — both things we may be measuring. Skip the coffee, tea or energy drink beforehand so your results reflect your real baseline. Reward yourself afterwards.

Five essentials:

• Photo ID
• A copy of any prescriptions you currently take
• Details of any medication (prescription or over-the-counter) you've taken in the last 14 days — name, dose and when you last took it
• Your glasses if you wear them (please remove contacts and bring saline plus a case if you can't)
• Any medical clearance from surgery you've had in the last 6 months

Government-issued photo ID only:

• Driver's Licence (including Digital Driver's Licence) — preferred
• Proof of Age card
• Government-issued Student ID
• Valid Australian Passport

If you're booked in for a Rail Medical, Commercial / Dangerous Goods Drivers Medical, or your role involves driving, you must bring your Driver's Licence.

Closed-in shoes (trainers or joggers — no thongs or sandals) and loose, comfortable clothing you can move easily in. You may be asked to remove outer clothing for parts of the examination, so wear suitable underwear.

If you can, complete the medical history questionnaire and any other paperwork using the link we sent by email or SMS. If that doesn't work for you, no problem — you can fill it in on an iPad when you arrive.

Anywhere from 15 minutes to about 2 hours, depending on which tests are required. If you've been booked into multiple clinics, plan for most of the day. Need a tighter estimate? Call our customer service team on 07 3999 9350.

It varies by assessment, but common tests include:

• Audiometry (hearing)
• Vision testing
• Urinalysis
• General medical examination
• Medical history review
• Instant urine drug and breath alcohol screen
• Spirometry (lung function)
• Blood pressure and heart rate
• Blood test
• Chest X-ray

For KINNECT clinics, our Our Locations page has addresses, parking notes and directions for every site. If you're booked at a KINNECT Affiliate clinic and need help finding it, call 1300 546 632.

Unfortunately not. The clinic environment isn't safe for children and we can't supervise them while you're being assessed. Please arrange care in advance — if a child arrives with you, your appointment can't go ahead.

No. Any appointment KINNECT books for you — including radiology and pathology — is paid for via the biller code on your referral. If anyone asks you to pay, stop and call us straight away on 1300 546 632 rather than handing over money.

KINNECT clinics follow COVID-19 screening procedures to keep everyone safe. If you're at a KINNECT Affiliate clinic, please follow their screening rules too — at some sites this includes Rapid Antigen Testing.

Your results need to be reviewed by a KINNECT doctor and compared with your baseline or previous assessments. The doctor's job is to spot any changes early so action can be taken to protect your health. Once reviewed, your results are given a risk rating and sent to your employer. A risk rating doesn't mean you can't do your job — it usually means small modifications can keep you safe.

Standard results are usually reviewed within 8 business hours, and up to 72 business hours at the outside. If your assessment includes X-rays, blood work or a Lungscreen, expect a little longer.

In Australia, whoever pays for the medical receives the results — for Health Surveillance, that's your employer. The exception is Legislative Medicals (such as Coal Board Medicals), where you can access your results and your employer only sees a summary. Either way, if a doctor finds anything unusual or of concern, it's part of their duty of care to discuss it with you and refer you for treatment.

Generally no, unless it's a Legislative Medical (e.g. Coal Board Medical). For those assessments you can request a copy once the doctor has completed the review. If anything abnormal is identified, our doctors will discuss it with you and arrange any further investigation needed.

Sometimes something comes up during the assessment that means we can't safely complete a particular test — for example, raised blood pressure on the day, or a recent surgery or injury. We may ask you to get clearance from your GP before we reschedule. The letter we give you on the day will explain the next steps.

It means our doctor needs more information before signing off — for instance, a report from a cardiologist or other specialist. If your assessment is in further review, we'll send you a letter explaining what's needed and what happens next.

We support your employer's Health Surveillance program by:

• Carrying out your assessments and reviewing results
• Letting your employer know when you're next due (your employer still has to confirm before we book)
• Advising on treatment plans where a doctor's input is needed for an abnormal result
• Securely storing your records on Australian-based, military-grade servers — some health changes only show up years later, so we keep records safe in case they're needed

After your assessment we'll send you a short feedback form by text. Your input genuinely helps us improve. If you'd rather talk to someone, call us on 1300 546 632.

For health assessment information specific to Queensland coal mine workers, head to the official regulator: Resources Safety & Health Queensland.