1
PURPOSE & SCOPE
This document explains the practices to ensure employee optimum health status is maintained through the provision of all-inclusive
health services.
The document applies to all employees, contractors and workplaces of the company.
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DEFINITIONS & ABBREVIATIONS
2.1
Medical surveillance - A risk-based set of planned medical examinations before placement in a risk area (part of the preplacement medical examination), before leaving a risk area (exit), and periodically; after having been exposed to a risk for a
certain time or when the employer is suspicious of the employee’s fitness for work.
2.2
The company supports three types of medical surveillance namely; pre-placement, periodical and exit medicals.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1
3.2
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Managers / Supervision: a)
Ensure that the requirements of this procedure are enforced within their area of responsibility;
b)
Ensure that records are kept appropriately.
SHEQ Team: a)
Maintain the currency and accuracy of this procedure;
b)
Provide general awareness training concerning the requirements of this procedure; and
c)
Monitor the implementation of this procedure and undertake audits to confirm compliance.
PROCESS
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
Legal Status
a)
Occupational Health and Safety Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act and guidelines, codes or regulations in terms
of these statutes.
b)
Where the company operates a mine or quarry, the Mine Health and Safety Act applies.
Applicable Employer Policies
a)
SHEQ policy, which must include reference to the practice and procedures of medical surveillance.
b)
Recruitment, Selection and Placement Policy.
c)
Fitness for Work Policy.
Standards
a)
Statutory - Occupational Health and Safety Act; Mine Health and Safety Act
b)
Other - As determined by the company's pre-approved occupational medical Officers.
Timing of Medicals
a)
Pre-employment - medical examination after a conditional offer of employment has been given to the applicant and
within 2 weeks of starting to work.
b)
Transfer - before or within 2 weeks after a transfer from one risk area to another.
c)
Periodic - employees are subjected to a risk-based medical examination by an occupational medicine Officer, at
intervals determined by the occupational exposure.
d)
Exit - before, or as soon as possible after, termination of employment. Any pre-placement or periodical medical
examination performed within 6 months before the employee’s exit may be regarded as an exit medical examination,
if acceptable to the Occupational Medical Officer.
Testing Standards and Contents of Medical Examinations
a)
A general medical questionnaire.
b)
An occupational history questionnaire.
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
c)
A hazard-specific questionnaire.
d)
A physical examination, including vision evaluation by an Occupational Medical Officer.
e)
A physical examination, including vision evaluation, and certain anthropomorphic measures is done by the occupational
nursing Officer, and the overall examination is to be done by an occupational medical Officer.
f)
Special tests: i)
Blood tests: Glucose, haemoglobin, biological indicators, immunisation status control;
ii)
Urine test: Combur Stix for cannabis, biological indicators;
iii)
Swab tests: Biological requirements;
iv)
Audiometry: NIHL Regulations of the OHS Act, SABS 083 and COIDA;
v)
X-ray: Chest and lungs;
vi)
Lung Function Test: Mine Occupational Health Advisory;
vii)
ECG: Standard 12 lead ECG.
Outcomes
a)
Employees may be ‘Fit-for-Work’.
b)
Employees may be ‘Fit-for-Work’, but required to return for re-examination within a period.
c)
Employees may be ‘Fit-for-Work’, provided certain special precautions are taken.
d)
Employees may be ‘Fit-for-Work’ temporarily or permanently unfit for the job.
Medical Reports
a)
The Occupational Medical Officer or Occupational Health Officer will communicate the result of the examination to the
employee; where applicable, consent for communication with management will be obtained at the same time.
b)
For every occupational medical examination, the responsible Occupational Medical Officer will issue a written (hard or
soft copy) report to the HR Department.
c)
If the occupational medical examination identifies an occupational non-conformance, the Occupational Medical Officer
or Occupational Health Officer will communicate directly with the HR Manager in charge of the employee.
d)
The contents of the information released to the company and management will be relevant to the medical surveillance
and will only be released with the informed consent of the employee.
e)
The employee may receive a copy of all medical reports if requested.
f)
The employee’s private medical Officer may receive a copy of all medical files, provided the employee consents in
writing.
g)
A trade union representative may receive a copy of the medical reports, provided the employee consents in writing, to
release the information.
Employee Refuses to be Examined
a)
The duty to perform medical surveillance is placed on the company as an employer.
b)
The company will impose the duty of medical surveillance on all relevant employees. As every employee must
cooperate with the employer to enable the employer’s duty or requirement to be performed or complied with and every
employee has to carry out any lawful order given, obey the health and safety rules and procedures laid down by the
employer in the interest of safety and health, it is accepted that an employee may not refuse to undergo medical
surveillance.
c)
The company Occupational Medical and Health Officers may not issue a fitness for-work statement, where no medical
examination has been performed. the company, as an employer, may not permit an employee who requires being
under medical surveillance to work in an area where such testing is mandatory.
Non-agreement with Medical Findings
a)
Employees not agreeing with the findings of a medical surveillance examination may request a second opinion.
b)
This dispute will require resolution in terms of the company policies and procedures (Recruitment, selection and
placement, fitness for work policies, disciplinary and grievance procedures).
Assessment of Fairness
a)
The fairness of these medical surveillance practices, of the distribution and execution of the examinations and the
management of the outcome practices, must be assessed against the background of what is considered ‘reasonably
practicable’.