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Posted By Chris Hardy
Does any one have a simple questionnaire for new employees to check their present health status prior to starting a new job.
Alternately do you think this is necessary to comply with our "Duty of Care" for new emplyees. (Part of our company is in the construction sector)
Any views would be a help, thanks.
Chris Hardy
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Posted By garyh
When I have been involved with this in the past, we used a questionaire obtained from the healthcare company which did our medicals.
Note, however that the employer does not normally see the details of this questionaire - this is highly personal. The health professional tells you if they are fit for the task you have asigned to this job.
After all, who is qualified in your organisation to interpret health information? Watch out for discrimination claims if you don't do this properly and fairly.
It's a minefield.
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Garyh's observation about the minefield is important to heed.
Disability, gender and v. shortly age discrimination legislation oblige an employer to show evidence of exploring options for masking suitable adaptations to a work environment before rejecting or dismissing or demoting an employee or applicant on health grounds.
Appropriate ergonomic analysis often indicates a variety of adjustments possible in most work environments and work schedules. Yet, sadly, relatively few occupational nurses and doctors familiarise themselves with relevant ergonomic research well enough to identify possible adaptations - and provide out-of-date and inaccurate recommendations as a result.
The net return on investment in relevant ergonomic advice is usually much higher than the cost where there is the slightest doubt about occupational fitness for work
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Posted By Anwar Afzal
It is vital to obtain information on a new employee's health.
My past experience proved this point, we had a bricklayer who did not disclose that he was epileptic and had a fit. Forunately he was on his break and was on ground level, imagine the consequence of this had he been working on the scaffold. I requested his consent to contact his doctoe, and he did not turn up for work the following day.
This is why it is vital to obtain such info.
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Posted By Paul Oliver
It would be recommended that you contract this out to an Occ Health Specialist, they can evaluate the informtaion against the job description and provide you with impartial advice on the employment suitability of the candidate, and don't forget to carry out health surveillance for all employees where necessary.
Paul
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Posted By Kieran J Duignan
With respect, I very, very strongly challenge the principle of 'contracting out' the use of the OH quesitonnaire, unless you go through the discipline of figuring out the process of generating and evaluating the data involved.
Where the safety profession is deskilling itself by shortcuts of this kind, it deserves the - often very, very paintful - outcomes.
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