Creating healthier workplaces

Transcription

1 Creating healthier workplaces

2 OccuHealth Services OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES, including: Noise Surveys Asbestos Surveys Health Risk Assessments Atmospheric Contaminant Sampling Vibration Light Surveys Indoor Air Quality Shutdown Services MEDICAL SERVICES, including: Pre-employment Assessments Drug and Alcohol Testing Audio and Spirometry Testing Functional Capacity Testing Biological Monitoring Ergonomic Assessments RESPIRATORY AND EARPLUG FIT TESTING occuhealth Creating Healthier Workplaces

3 Occuhealth Occuhealth is a full service occupational health and hygiene consultancy based in Western Australia, operating throughout the nation and beyond. The company has been partnering industries in helping to create healthier workplaces for over twenty years. Working primarily with clients in the mining, energy (onshore and offshore), construction, agriculture and refining sectors, Occuhealth provides an extensive range of occupational health and medical services at convenient city-based locations or in the field. Occuhealth offers a significant advantage over other service providers in that it maintains a number of fully equipped mobile units which travel to client workplaces, thus avoiding the need for employees to lose time through travelling. With over thirty team members, including qualified doctors, occupational nurses, certified occupational hygienists and technical specialists, Occuhealth is able to provide customised service packages, with an emphasis on a preventative, proactive approach to successfully manage or eliminate occupational health risks for workers. 3

4 Occupational Health Services Occuhealth teams consist of Medical Doctors, Certified Occupational Hygienists, Occupational Health Nurses, Ergonomists and trained Hygiene Technicians, professionally qualified to identify all chemical, biological, physical and psychosocial hazards in the work environment, and to provide clients with practical solutions on ways to create healthier workplaces. Occuhealth is a full service consultancy, meaning that all clients occupational health needs can be met from within the one organisation. Services are delivered from convenient city-based premises or directly at the workplace by taking advantage of Occuhealth s fleet of fully equipped mobile testing vehicles. Occuhealth s noise consultants are noise officers and are registered with the Department of Mines and Petroleum and Safework Australia. Health Risk Assessments A professional health risk assessment by Occuhealth equips an organisation to ensure that programmes are adequate, effective, and meet legislative requirements a key protection in the event of the threat of legal action or prosecution. The health risk assessment is a comprehensive and systematic exercise to identify hazards in the workplace, and then to indicate the steps required to control and minimise risks to personnel. The exercise may involve looking at existing processes, or be undertaken at the design stage, where it is often easier and more effective to eliminate hazards before they are unwittingly introduced into a new work environment. Hazards can arise as a result of the physical work environment, the materials and substances used, the necessary work tasks, the way in which they are performed, and the overall work design structures. A health risk assessment will seek to identify any potential biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards present and to determine the associated health risks. Once this assessment has been performed, Occuhealth will detail the steps required to control such hazards, and help to design an implementation plan leading to the creation of a safe and healthy workplace. Feature Project Wheatstone project Client: Bechtel Location: Onslow, WA Full health risk assessments and monitoring on behalf of Bechtel for EVT, BEST JV, Thiess, Energy Power Systems, Freo Group, Keller, At-Pac, Aspen Medical, Kaefer Novacoat, Mammoets and Veolia. occuhealth Creating Healthier Workplaces

5 Atmospheric Contaminant Sampling Many industrial processes produce airborne substances with the potential to be harmful to employees. Shutdown Services Occuhealth supplies Occupational Health and Hygiene professionals to cover all required workplace medical and atmospheric monitoring services during shutdown operations. These substances must be eliminated or controlled if a healthy workplace is to be created. Occuhealth s qualified specialist staff carry out contaminant sampling, which may include the measurement of personal exposure for chemical, physical and biological hazards. Monitoring is a two-stage process firstly to identify whether harmful substances are present, and to subsequently check whether control mechanisms have been successful. These mechanisms may involve periodic atmospheric monitoring of a workplace to ensure levels remain below Occupational Exposure Standards. All Occuhealth sampling is carried out in accordance with the relevant DoMP, Worksafe, NOPSEMA, national and international standards, using high quality and calibrated hygiene monitoring equipment, with samples being analysed by NATA approved service providers. Hygiene consultants are also registered as CONTAM samplers with the Department of Mines and Petroleum. The team will accommodate short and long-term requirements covering all rosters and shifts, shutdowns and fly-in/flyout coverage. Personnel can also be made available at short notice to contractors who require ergonomists, nurses and industrial hygienists to fulfil their contract arrangements. Trained and experienced safety officers are available for both long and short term engagements, and TBOSIET and MSIC qualified staff are provided where and when necessary. Occuhealth has supported a number of major shutdown activities at both on- and offshore facilities, including oil and gas installations, refineries and minesites. Feature Project Health & Hygiene Monitoring Programme Client: Woodside Energy Location: Karratha, WA In striving towards best practice, Woodside Energy deployed Occuhealth to undertake a comprehensive Heath Risk Assessment and Monitoring Strategy to quantify worker exposure to a range of atmospheric contaminants during normal operations and shutdown maintenance. This strategy has now been adopted by Woodside for their offshore facilities. 5

6 Occupational Health Services Noise Surveys A noise survey by Occuhealth is in line with the requirements set by AS/NZS 1269 standard and will identify and quantify the nature of noise exposure within client premises, and provide scientifically endorsed recommendations for appropriate noise mitigation measures. In general, there is poor understanding within industry of how best to mitigate exposure, and employers tend to rely on PPE when other measures, such as noise control, engineering and isolation controls, worker training or administrative controls may be more effective in creating a healthier and more productive workplace. FeatureProject BP Refinery Client: BP Location: Kwinana, WA Occuhealth conducted the Worksafe Regulatory five yearly Noise survey at BP Refinery, including collection and contour mapping of noise measurements of fixed plant, mobile equipment, power tools and personal noise dosimetry. Occuhealth will identify appropriate noise control measures, which depend on a number of factors, e.g. noise level, noise source, the nature of the noise (intermittent, constant or unpredictable) and the degree of exposure to employees. Damage caused to employees by occupational noiseinduced hearing loss is an entirely preventable but irreversible condition, resulting in a significant proportion of workers compensation claims throughout Australia. An Occuhealth noise survey is an essential first step in creating a safe and compliant work environment. occuhealth Creating Healthier Workplaces

7 Muja Power Station Client: Synergy Location: Collie, WA To prevent worker downtime during the two year major refurbishment project of units 1 4, Occuhealth provided asbestos awareness training and conducted 24/7 air monitoring and asbestos identification to ease worker concerns about potential asbestos exposure. Feature Project Asbestos Surveys Whilst employers are aware that asbestos is a hazardous material, what is less understood is how the risks should be managed and controlled within the workplace. Employees are rightly concerned that their health should not be compromised, but without professional consultation, it is difficult for business owners to provide credible reassurance. Occuhealth provides a comprehensive service for asbestos identification and management, including: Airborne fibre monitoring Clearance inspections Risk assessments Fibre identification Inspections for residential and commercial premises Risk assessment is based upon a number of factors, including the type, friability, surface treatment and condition of the asbestos. Other aspects to consider include the frequency and duration of employee activity within the location, as well as the potential maintenance of the suspected material and any other exposure controls. All assessments are performed according to the Code for the Management and Control of Asbestos in the Workplace [NOHSC: 2018 (2005)], ensuring that reports are fully compliant with international standards for environmental protection, health and safety. Employers will be made aware of risk priority ranking, and together with Occuhealth can formulate a comprehensive asbestos management plan that will inform and direct future activity. 7

8 Medical Services Health surveillance medicals make it possible for employers to minimise the health risks to workers, by monitoring health data through medical examination and establishing baseline measurements of specific health indicators. Occuhealth provides the following health surveillance medicals, all of which may be performed at convenient city-based locations, or via a fully-equipped mobile service directly at employer sites. Other medicals are available on request. Audiometric & Spirometry Testing Occuhealth conducts tests of hearing function, making it possible to not only detect whether hearing has been impaired, but also to determine whether hearing ability is changing over time. If there is a pattern of decline, audiometric testing may help identify whether there are occupational issues that need to be addressed. For workers who use personal hearing protectors, an audiometric assessment prior to commencing the role provides a baseline indication of auditory function, which may help to limit liability in the case of subsequent hearing loss claims. Pre-Employment Medicals Occuhealth provides pre-employment medicals for employers who need to ensure that a worker has the physiological capacity to undertake the tasks required. The medical has the additional value of providing a baseline health assessment before work is started. This functional assessment also identifies any pre-existing conditions. Some industrial processes have the potential to affect worker lung function, either temporarily or permanently. Spirometry, or the measure of this lung function, makes it possible to identify low or declining pulmonary ability, and if an individual s results are of concern, efforts can be made to determine the cause. Should it appear that occupational factors are implicated, steps can then be taken to control or eliminate exposure and prevent further damage to the worker s lungs. The standard test includes an audiometric test, physiological examination including functional capacity combined with urinalysis, a spirometry test and a review of the worker s medical history. A report is provided to the employer as to the suitability of the candidate for the tasks envisaged, including an indication of whether issues raised are likely to be of concern in the workplace, or can be accommodated without major impact.

9 Employee Medicals Client: Rio Tinto Location: Belmont and Onsite Occuhealth is the provider of all pre-employment and on-going medicals with Rio Tinto contractors, delivering services onsite via the company s mobile medical facility as well as in our Perth city location. Feature Project Drug & Alcohol Testing Occuhealth consultants are professionally trained to test for the use of alcohol and recreational drugs by employees. The acquisition of samples requires the application of strict protocols to protect both the employer and employee, and to maintain the integrity of the sample and the subsequent analysis. Employment drug testing has been shown to be an important factor in creating a safer, more productive workplace. It reduces the number of accidents and injuries, decreases employee turnover and absenteeism, and lowers the incidence of workers compensation claims. The mere presence of an efficient testing regime has the effect of improving general workplace safety, at the same time as helping employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Ergonomic Assessments The design and function of the workplace can have an important bearing on both the comfort of the individual and the potential for accidents and injury, leading to significant impacts on overall performance and productivity. Occuhealth conducts comprehensive ergonomic assessments, identifying high-risk tasks and devising practical solutions to alleviate the risk of harm to employees. A number of issues involve manual handling tasks, where problems can arise around activities that involve heavy manual labour, awkward postures and materials handling. Previous or existing injuries are also risk factors that may need to be considered. The consequences of exposure to vibration is another area that is often poorly understood in the workplace. Occuhealth has extensive experience in determining the risks involved in both hand/arm vibration occasioned through the use of power tools, and the whole body vibration experienced using vehicles over rough ground. 9

10 Medical Services Biological Monitoring By undertaking biological monitoring, employers ensure that workers are fit to work, and that a safe and efficient workplace is maintained for the benefit of all employees. Occuhealth consultants are trained to undertake the collection of urine using strict protocols that comply with the occupational safety & health regulation These include being able to confirm that the sample presented has not been substituted prior to collection, is present in sufficient concentration for subsequent analysis, and that appropriate worker privacy is maintained throughout. This testing is required in Western Australia where exposure to certain chemicals may be taking place at the workplace. Occuhealth believes this is an important test for all companies to under take as part of their pre-employment assessments and therefore is built into our standard pre-employment assessments. Functional Capacity Medicals A functional capacity assessment is the result of a series of tests which determine the ability of an individual worker to perform the physical tasks required by their role in the workplace. The assessment can also undertaken to assist a worker in returning to a position after injury or a period of medical leave, by determining which tasks can be safely allocated to the worker concerned, and the degree and nature of rehabilitation that may be necessary before a worker can return to pre-injury tasks. Biological Monitoring Client: Kaefer Novacoat Location: Wheatstone, WA Urine baseline testing for isocyanate, ethyl benzene & xylene for Kaefer Novacoat s painters. Feature Project

11 Respirator fit testing & Earplug Client: Alcoa of Australia Location: Pinjarra and Wagerup Refineries, WA In 2003 Occuhealth helped develop Alcoa s respirator and earplug fit testing programme that still runs today with a 95% or higher compliance rate across site. The programme has been installed as best practice for Alcoa world wide and featured in the British Medical Journal. Occuhealth performs more than 15,000 fit tests per year for various contractors including Rio Tinto, Woodside, Alcoa, Goldfields, BP and BHP. Feature Project Respiratory & Earplug Fit Testing Occuhealth respiratory fit testing assesses whether the worker s respirator forms an adequate seal around the face, and checks if he or she is receiving sufficient protection against dusts, mists, fumes, gases, vapours and biological contaminants. Inhalation is the most frequent means by which dangerous substances enter the body, and without this fit testing there is no assurance that effective control has been achieved. Similarly, for noise protection, earplugs are considered a suitable control mechanism in a large number of environments. However, without fit testing, it becomes impossible to demonstrate that workers are being fully protected. Occuhealth fit testing also includes one-on-one training with each individual user in the correct wearing, use, cleaning and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment and hearing protectors. Occuealth s facilities are open for fit testing services seven days a week, and the fully mobile service can be performed at any location including metro, regional, remote, interstate and offshore sites. 11

12 Awards 2005 AIOH Professional Hygienist Award 2010 AIOH Fellowship Award AIOH Young Hygienist Award 2010 MSA Post Graduate Scholarship in Occupational Hygiene 2011 Certificate of High Achievement Health, Safety & Environment Management Systems T (08) E info@occuhealth.com.au Head Office: 57 Sutton Street, Mandurah WA 6210 Perth Office: Unit 27, 12 Cowcher Place, Belmont WA 6104 Postal Address: PO Box 605, Mandurah WA 6210 occuhealth Designed & Produced by Bonser Design