As an employer, one of your responsibilities is to monitor how your employees are doing. You see to it that they do their work promptly yet efficiently. You get to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and assign tasks that are more suitable for them. But one of the most important things you should not miss in monitoring is the health of your employees. That is why in Australia, employers are required to direct their employees to undergo an occupational health assessment. Read on to learn more about this protocol.
What Is Occupational Health Assessment?
An occupational wellness assessment is a series of tests done to determine whether or not the physical and mental state of employees are suitable in the workplace. The medical results come with recommendations for the employer. This should give you an idea of what your next step should be in making sure the working environment remains safe and healthy.
With a solid occupational health assessment program, companies can:
- Closely monitor the health condition of their employees
- Perform an ergonomic workplace analysis
- Manage absenteeism
- Encourage safe working practices
- Help employees stay well
Types of Occupational Health Assessment
Pre-Employment Assessment
This is one of the most common assessments completed by an occupational health consultant. This screening aims to find out whether an employee is medically fit for the job they are applying and can perform the tasks assigned to them. It is requested by an employer usually after they have made a job offer to the applicant.
This type of assessment asks the individual to relay any pre-existing medical conditions they may have. Then, they are required to undergo a set of comprehensive medical examinations. This may include blood pressure check, urine drug screen, chest x-ray, and more.
Fitness for Work Assessment
This type of health check is necessary when an employee has a health concern or experienced an emergency. The employee is required to have this worker assessment if they have a pattern of prolonged and recurrent absenteeism, abnormal behaviour at the workplace, or simply failing to perform well at the task given to them. The results of this assessment let the employers know whether the employee is already fit to work or may need some days off to recover.
Job Specific Assessment
Some jobs require a more specific health assessment than ordinary medical examinations. Here are some examples:
For Coal Mine Workers
The Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme (CMWHS) and Order 43 are both created for coal mine workers. As we all know, workers in the coal industry are at a high risk of respiratory abnormalities. That is why these assessments are carried out not only to determine their fitness to work but also to check for any signs of existing or onset of respiratory diseases.
For Rail Industry Workers
Another type of risky job can be seen in the rail industry. That is why the Rail Safety Workers Health Assessment is developed. This assessment has three categories, and the worker will be assigned to a specific category depending on what their role is. Some of the medical examinations include vision testing, audiometry, drug and alcohol tests, and more.
For Dangerous Goods/Commercial Drivers
Transporting dangerous goods requires safe handling. That is why companies are meticulous in hiring commercial drivers for this kind of job. Aside from having a license to drive a vehicle transporting dangerous goods, drivers also need to undergo a health check that meets the Assessing Fitness to Drive criteria. The medical assessment particularly evaluates if the driver has issues with a sleeping disorder and substance abuse.
Reinforcing Occupational Health Assessment in Your Company
To avoid any health risks happening in your workplace, entrust your occupational health assessment needs to Resile. They assist different organisations when it comes to occupational health. With their multidisciplinary team of professionals, you can have peace of mind knowing that they will only provide you with accurate medical results. Connect with them today.
