Health monitoring is an employer’s obligation under the WHS Act

Health monitoring is an investment in your workforce and has the potential to save businesses significant costs in compensation claims. Health monitoring is necessary to:

• protect employees exposed to ‘significant risk’
• detect the early signs of adverse health effects
• help identify control measures that are not working effectively; and
• assist in protecting workers from the risk of exposure to silica dust.

Consider undertaking a risk assessment of your workforce and work design to determine activities and functions that expose your workforce to ‘significant risk’.

Risks to consider:

• exposure to dangerous substances [Silica, asbestos, lead]
• audiometry risks caused from noise and/or vibration
• manual handling
• psychosocial risks.

Identify the different health monitoring required and establish a health monitoring program for your business. The regulator’s website has guidance material on this topic and if you require further assistance or more information contact the Advisory Team.