Health monitoring

A PCBU must ensure that health monitoring is provided to workers undertaking lead risk work before the worker first starts the work and one month after.

Health monitoring must be carried out by or under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner with experience in health monitoring.

Health monitoring must include:

  • demographic, medical and occupational history
  • physical examination, and
  • biological monitoring.

Health monitoring can be used to help identify whether existing control measures are working effectively or whether more effective control measures should be implemented. Health monitoring must never be used as an alternative to putting in place effective control measures.

The Health Monitoring for Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals – Guide for persons conducting a business or undertaking provides further information on health monitoring, and guidance on meeting your requirements as a PCBU.

Biological monitoring

Biological monitoring for lead means taking a blood sample from a worker and measuring the blood lead level.

Biological monitoring starts before the worker commences the work, one month after starting and must continue at regular intervals depending on previous results, whether the person is male or female and reproductive capacity.

For females not of reproductive capacity and males, biological monitoring must be conducted:

  • 6 months after the last test if the last result showed a blood lead level of less than 10 µg/dL (0.48 µmol/L)
  • 3 months after the last test if the last results showed a blood lead level of 10 µg/dL (0.48 µmol/L) or more but less than 20 µg/dL (0.97 µmol/L), or
  • 6 weeks after the last test if the last results showed a blood lead level of 20 µg/dL (0.97 µmol/L) or more.

For females of reproductive capacity, biological monitoring must be conducted:

  • 3 months after the last test if the last result showed a blood lead level of less than 5 µg/dL (0.24 µmol/L)
  • 6 weeks after the last test if the last results showed a blood lead level of 5 µg/dL (0.24 µmol/L) or more but less than 10 µg/dL (0.48 µmol/L).

A worker must be removed from lead risk work if their blood lead levels exceed:

  • 30 µg/dL (1.45 µmol/L) for females not of reproductive capacity and males (down from 50 µg/dL (2.42 µmol/L)), and
  • 10 µg/dL (0.48 µmol/L) for females of reproductive capacity, or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding (down from 20 μg/dL (0.97 μmol/L) and 15 µg/dL (0.72 µmol/L) respectively).

If it is recommended by the health monitoring doctor that a worker must also be removed from lead risk work, regardless of the blood lead level. The PCBU must notify WorkSafe ACT if a health monitoring report recommends that worker is removed from lead risk work.

If a worker is removed from work because of high blood lead levels, as the PCBU, you must arrange for the worker to be examined by the health monitoring doctor within seven days of removal. The worker may only return to lead risk work if the doctor is satisfied that the worker is fit to return, and the worker’s blood lead level is less than:

  • 20 µg/dL (0.97 µmol/L) for females not of reproductive capacity and males (down from 40µg/dL (1.93µmol/L)), and
  • 5 µg/dL (0.24 µmol/L) for females of reproductive capacity (down from 10 µg/dL (0.48 µmol/L)).

A confidential record of the worker’s health monitoring report(s) must be kept by the PCBU for at least 30 years. The PCBU must take all reasonable steps to obtain the health monitoring report and provide a copy to the worker as soon as practicable.

Monitoring for airborne contaminants

A PCBU must ensure that a worker is not exposed to concentrations of airborne chemicals above the workplace exposure standard. The workplace exposure standard for inorganic lead (eight-hour time-weighted average) is 0.05 mg/m3.

To comply with the WHS Regulation, PCBU’s must monitor workers’ exposure to airborne lead where:

  • there is uncertainty whether or not the exposure standard has been or may be exceeded, or
  • it is necessary to work out whether there is a risk to health.

Records of air monitoring must be kept for a minimum of 30 years and must be made available to WorkSafe ACT and any workers who are exposed.

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