Health Surveillance and Biological Monitoring

The objectives of the health surveillance system for mining employees are to:

• Assess the health status of all mining industry employees on a regular basis
• Analyse collected data to detect adverse health effects at the earliest opportunity
• Enable appropriate and timely corrective action to be taken in order to safeguard the health and well-being of mining industry employees
• Provide data for future epidemiological studies.

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Mining industry employers are required under legislation to establish and maintain a health surveillance system for employees.

Results from health assessments must be forwarded to Resources Safety.  This information is stored in our online MineHealth database.

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The guide to health surveillance system for mining employees (PDF 631 kb) has been prepared to assist employers, employees, medical practitioners and approved persons in understanding requirements for undertaking health assessments under the health surveillance system provisions of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 (WA).

The health surveillance system for mining employees in Western Australia is administered by Resources Safety. Confidential information is recorded on an approved health assessment form and transferred to Resources Safety’s MineHealth database.

Following this guide will help to ensure the uniformity and reliability of data collected for Resources Safety’s MineHealth database.

Forms are provided below.

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Resources Safety’s risk-based health surveillance and biological monitoring guideline (PDF 886 kb) will help employers to meet their statutory requirements relating to biological monitoring and the additional health surveillance required when employees are exposed to hazardous substances.

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While the information forwarded to Resources Safety remains confidential, Health Surveillance Numbers (HSN) and expiry dates are available from the online Minehealth database or by contacting us.

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All occupational health related forms can be downloaded from the forms section of this website.

There is no specific form required when a medical practitioner or approved person is advising an employer of the outcome of an employee’s health assessment, including biological monitoring. However, a template is provided below to assist in the process.

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The notification of outcome of health assessment – pro forma (Word 89 kb) is designed to ensure that the notification process is completed satisfactorily without unnecessary delay, and is a useful guide for those notifying for the first time.

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The MineHealth poster (PDF 1 mb) provides information on common health hazards, objectives of the MineHealth surveillance system, MineHealth card, health assessment and responsibilities employers.

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A list of occupational hygiene consultants is available from the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists.

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More information is available in the frequently asked questions on health surveillance of mine employees section.

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