To ensure Otago Polytechnic is obtaining an initial baseline, monitoring new and ongoing environmental and personal health issues in relation to kaimahi exposure to any potential work-related health hazard/s.
Occupational Health and Exposure Monitoring Policy
Section
Corporate
Approval Date
5 May 2025
Approved By
Executive Director
Next Review
30 May 2027
Responsibility
Health and Safety Team
Purpose
Compliance
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Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and all subsequent amendments
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Accident Compensation Act 2001 and all subsequent amendments
- The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021
Policy
1. Occupational health and environmental monitoring involves taking environmental measurements to review whether existing hazards in the workplace are being controlled effectively (e.g., types of monitoring may include air, dust sampling or sound levels) or kaimahi health monitoring e.g. lung function, audiometry tests, vision tests, in work-related areas identified with potential health hazards.
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The Standard Operating Procedure Occupational Health and Exposure Monitoring outlines this process.
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Workplace exposure standards are used to determine exposure levels and trigger if there need to be more effective control measures implemented.
2. The requirement for occupational health and environmental monitoring is identified through various methods, including:
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identification of new hazards
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management and monitoring of existing hazards
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introduction of new equipment, products, or substances to work areas.
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changes in process/es and procedures implemented in work areas.
3. The purpose of this environmental and occupational health monitoring is:
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to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
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to assess that work environments are within workplace exposure standards
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to detect changes in kaimahi health that are known to be associated with exposure to a particular hazard
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to establish if current hazard identification and controls are effective (e.g. whether harm is, or is not, being caused to kaimahi)
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to establish an initial baseline for a preferred candidate.
4. Otago Polytechnic will conduct:
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occupational health screening of a preferred candidate as part of recruitment processes in areas where significant hazards exist (refer to Clause 9)
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occupational health monitoring of kaimahi and departing kaimahi (refer to Clause 12) from work-related areas where potential health hazard/s have been identified
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screening/monitoring only after consent has been obtained
5. Any screening/monitoring must be performed by a qualified tester from the health monitoring provider at Otago Polytechnic in a quiet and private room.
6. The health monitoring provider will report results to the Health and Safety Team at the time of testing and provide information/education on preventative measures.
7. The Health and Safety Team will provide a confidential report on anonymised summary results and recommendations where remedial and/or preventative measures are required. This report will be provided to the Formal Leader, Te Kāhui Manukura (TKM), work area Wellbeing and Safety Committee and the Deputy Executive Director: Operations where it has been identified that significant harm has been caused from environmental and occupational related health hazards.
8. If abnormal results or a decline in results occur, kaimahi are referred by the Health and Safety Team to the appropriate specialist medical professional for follow-up tests to be arranged, at a cost to Otago Polytechnic.
a) if the referral test is also abnormal, the specialist medical professional may lodge an Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) claim e.g. noise-induced hearing loss.
b) the Health and Safety Team will be advised by ACC if a claim has been accepted with a work-related cause.
c) an Incident Report will be completed by the Health and Safety Team to identify associated root causes and remedial recommendations and actions.
9. Pre-employment Occupational Health Screening
a) The Formal Leader must advise the Health and Safety Team when they are recruiting in a work area where significant hazards exist.
b) The preferred candidate will undergo a pre-occupational health screening to determine their ability to safely undertake the role. This includes screening for potential aggravation of an existing health condition. It is not intended to exclude or discriminate but to provide baseline measurements for ongoing occupational health monitoring e.g., hearing.
c) Consent must be obtained from the preferred candidate by People and Culture for occupational health monitoring, and for the release of results to the Health and Safety Team.
d) A copy of the preferred candidate’s occupational health monitoring report is kept on their confidential personnel file only if employed.
e) Summary result information is provided to the Formal Leader by People and Culture to enable proactive management of health and safety for preferred candidate (if applicable).
10. Kaimahi Occupational Health Monitoring
a) Consent for occupational health monitoring and for the release of results to the Health and Safety Team is obtained from kaimahi by the health monitoring provider.
b) A copy of kaimahi occupational health monitoring record is kept on their confidential personnel file.
c) A copy of the result information is provided to the Formal Leader to enable the proactive management of health and safety, informing them of successful hazard management (no harm having occurred) or to identify where remedial attention is required.
11. Post Incident Event Health Monitoring
a) In the event of an incident where kaimahi health may have been harmed or impacted, occupational health monitoring may be required to assess any injury (refer to clauses 10 and 11).
b) An incident investigation will be required as per Otago Polytechnic’s incident management processes.
12. Departing Kaimahi Monitoring
12.1. Kaimahi who have undergone occupational health monitoring and are about to depart Otago Polytechnic will have the relevant occupational health monitoring assessment/s performed before their departure – refer to Clause 4 and 8).
a) People and Culture will advise the Health and Safety Team when occupational health monitoring is required for departing kaimahi.
b) The Health and Safety Team will then arrange appropriate monitoring for the departing kaimahi.
c) A copy of the departing kaimahi occupational health monitoring record is kept on their confidential personnel file.
Approved
Approved by:
Dr. Megan Pōtiki
Executive Director
Date: 5 May 2025
Policy Version: V4 Previously Coded: MP0421
References
Policies
Recruitment of Staff Policy
Standard Operating Procedure: Occupational Health and Exposure Monitoring
Downloadable: SOP Occupation Health and Exposure Monitoring
