Occupational Health
The University of Melbourne provides occupational health screening and monitoring services to University staff exposed to particular risks during their employment. Where a supervisor identifies risks requiring health monitoring, Health and Safety can help with organising initial screening and ongoing monitoring, as required.
All medical records are kept strictly confidential, in line with the University Privacy Policy (MPF1104).
Attendance to a health screening or monitoring service may appear in reports provided to your supervisor, Health and Safety Services and/or your local Health and Safety Business Partner to ensure exposure to workplace risks are being monitored effectively.
Health and Hazard Assessment Questionnaire (HHAQ)
Supervisor responsibilities
Supervisors must identify the occupational health risks associated with the activities undertaken by their staff.
Monitoring requirements and protocols can be used to assist in identifying occupational health risks:
- Occupational health surveillance requirements matrix
This matrix indicates the required frequency of health monitoring, in association with legal and regulatory requirements. - Occupational health monitoring protocols
These protocols map job risks against required management processes and legal and regulatory requirements.
If the supervisor determines a new starter's role requires occupational health monitoring (ie. vaccinations and/or health monitoring) they should complete a Health and hazard assessment questionnaire (HHAQ) in ServiceNow before commencing work.
If a current staff member's role has a substantial change then a new HHAQ form may be required.
For staff members who require ongoing monitoring or vaccinations, supervisors should requests these services via their local Health and Safety Business Partner.
Health Screening and Monitoring
The Health surveillance requirements matrix offers guidance to determine if you require health monitoring.
The areas of health monitoring required by legislation include:
- Audiometric (hearing) - testing for noise exposures.
- Spirometry (lung function) - testing for exposures to lung irritants including animal dander (fur, hair and skin), chemicals, dusts, fumes and other allergenic and sensitising substances.
- Pathology - screening for post vaccination antibodies, microbial exposures (involving biological and zoonotic diseases including: Q fever, rabies (Australian bat lyssavirus), chlamydia, tuberculosis (TB), HIV, hepatitis B and C and other potentially hazardous microbial exposures). Scheduled hazardous chemical monitoring and drug screening as required for staff entering other research sites.
For guidance on coordinating Spirometry and/or Audiometry for your local area visit
onsite spirometry audiometry testing procedure
For further advice, please email Health and Safety
Some of these services may be outsourced to external providers.
Vaccine preventable diseases information and program
For health and medical needs not associated with University work, please contact your general practitioner or the University Health Service.
Your local Health and Safety Business Partner is your primary point of contact for general health and safety enquiries.
For more specialised advice contact Health and Safety Services.
Noise
To describe the University's methodology for managing noise and associated risks that will ensure the health and safety of employee and students, in compliance to regulatory requirements.