Health Monitoring in the Workplace
In the context of worker well-being, health monitoring serves the purpose of identifying alterations in a worker's health attributed to exposure to specific substances.
Health monitoring encompasses:
- Consultation with a registered medical practitioner
- Physical examinations, such as skin checks or lung function (spirometry) tests
- Clinical tests, including urine or blood tests
- X-rays.
It's essential to understand that health monitoring does not act as a substitute for implementing effective control measures to either eliminate or minimize health risks.
Determining when to provide health monitoring is crucial. Hazardous chemicals that may necessitate health monitoring include asbestos, scheduled chemicals (e.g., lead), and any other hazardous chemical with a valid test method for detecting health effects or exposure.
Health monitoring must be offered when:
- A worker engages in the use, handling, generation, or storage of hazardous chemicals
- The work is continuous
- There exists a notable risk to the worker's health due to exposure.
Evaluating the significance of the risk involves considering the frequency, duration, and level of exposure. Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment is the optimal approach to determining whether the risk to health is substantial.
If the identified risks are significant and control measures are either inadequate or uncertain, health monitoring becomes imperative. Additionally, existing control measures should undergo scrutiny and adjustment to ensure the elimination or minimization of risks to the extent reasonably practicable.
Assess the adequacy of control measures based on available information about the hazardous chemical and work processes. Consider whether the control measures outlined in the safety data sheet or relevant Code of Practice are not only in place but also functioning effectively.
Refer to the provided table for guidance on when health monitoring might be required.
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* Where a workplace exposure standard (WES) for an airborne contaminant has been established, exposure over 50 per cent of the WES indicates controls may not be adequate.
Air monitoring might be necessary in situations where the precise airborne concentration of a hazardous chemical is uncertain or to assess whether the existing control measures effectively maintain airborne hazardous chemical levels at the lowest reasonably practicable level. If uncertainty persists regarding the level of worker exposure, seeking guidance from a knowledgeable professional, such as an occupational hygienist, is recommended.