Periodic Medical Checkups

Health monitoring is designed to help protect your health. It is aimed at detecting changes in your health because of the hazardous chemicals you work with.
Health monitoring will measure the level of these chemicals in your body or how your body responds to exposure to these chemicals and can measure changes in your health.

Your health monitoring may include:

• Talking with a doctor with experience in health monitoring, about the type of health tests
  and how often you will need to have them
• Questions and counselling about your work history, medical history or lifestyle, for example diet, smoking and drinking habits: 1)Some of these things may change how your body responds to a hazardous chemical. 2)If this matters in your job, the doctor may ask you questions and talk with you about how your work and what you eat, drink and smoke could affect your health
• A physical check including looking at your skin
• Tests of your urine, blood or lungs or X-rays.

All of these activities may form part of your health monitoring program. Your program will depend on the hazardous chemicals you have worked with or will be working with. In some cases, you may have a one-off health monitoring check if you are exposed to a spill or leak of a hazardous chemical.

Before You Start Working With Hazardous Chemicals

As a worker, you may begin health monitoring before starting work. This is known as baseline monitoring.

Baseline monitoring helps your PCBU and doctor identify any changes in your health over time while you are working with hazardous chemicals. It may include a physical examination and, in some cases, urine, blood, or lung tests. The type of monitoring will depend on the hazardous chemical you will be working with.

While You Are Working With Hazardous Chemicals

While you are working with hazardous chemicals, your health monitoring will include regular checks and tests conducted by a doctor. You may be required to check your own skin (with guidance from the doctor) or answer questions about your breathing.

How often your health is monitored will depend on the hazardous chemical you work with, how frequently you are exposed to it, and how you perform your work. The frequency of monitoring may also change based on:

• How often you use certain chemicals, such as daily, weekly, or seasonally.
• The results of previous health monitoring, air monitoring, or surface wipe testing.
• You reporting signs of exposure, injury, illness, or disease that may be related to your work with hazardous chemicals.

In some situations, you may have a one-off health monitoring check following a spill or leak at work.

After You Finish Working With Hazardous Chemicals

You should have a final health check when you stop working with a hazardous chemical. Your PCBU will arrange this check in consultation with you.

You will know if you need health monitoring for your job because your PCBU must inform you. Your PCBU is required to tell you if health monitoring is needed and how it will be carried out.

Before you begin working with a hazardous chemical, your PCBU must explain how to use, handle, generate, or store the chemical. They must also tell you:

What your health monitoring involves, such as doctor visits, tests, and how often they will occur.
• Who your health monitoring doctor is.
• What the aims and benefits of health monitoring are.
• How you should report symptoms of exposure.
• How records of your health monitoring will be kept.
• When you will receive your health monitoring report and who will provide it to you.

At your first appointment, the doctor responsible for your health monitoring should explain:

• What could happen if you are exposed to a hazardous chemical.
• What your health monitoring program involves, including how often tests will be done and what types of tests are required.
• If and when you may be referred to another doctor or specialist.
• How to recognise and report signs of injury, illness, or disease.
• How your health monitoring results may affect your work tasks.
○ For example, if your health changes for better or worse, your doctor may advise your PCBU that you should stop working with a hazardous chemical or that you can return to working with it.

Asbestos

If you work with asbestos, you will definitely need health monitoring. Your PCBU must provide you with information about your health monitoring program before you start work with asbestos.

Lead Risk Work

If you work in a lead risk job, your PCBU must monitor your blood lead levels. More information about this process is available in the Guide for PCBUs. Your doctor will also collect information about your demographic details, medical history, and occupational history, and may conduct a physical examination.

A significant risk to your health exists when a hazardous chemical may cause harm. This harm could include:

• An illness, such as a cough or rash.
• A disease, such as cancer or dermatitis.
• An injury, such as a chemical burn.

Your PCBU may assess this risk to decide whether health monitoring is required. This assessment considers:

• How toxic the chemical is.
• How the chemical is used, handled, generated, or stored at work.
• What controls are in place to prevent or reduce exposure.
○ For example, working away from the chemical, adequate ventilation, or the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• How much of the hazardous chemical you may be exposed to.

The risk to your health may be considered significant if:

• It is easy for you to be exposed to the chemical due to the nature of your work.
• The chemical is highly toxic or has severe health effects.
• Protection from exposure relies mainly on work practices or PPE.