Exit Medicals
What is it?
An exit medical is a series of tests to record the health status of a person when they leave the company. This ensures the employer/organisation can be protected from future problems/claims regarding the status of a worker’s health.
For example, if a worker leaves the company with normal hearing and later initiates an ACC claim for noise induced hearing loss the company has proof that the individuals hearing was intact when they left employment.
What is included?
The exit medical should be based on the health risks the individual endured during their time of employment.
For example:
If the person was exposed to noise above 85dB during their time of employment an exit test should be performed to establish any hearing loss damage.
If the person was exposed to any respiratory hazards such as silica or other dust, a lung function should be completed to establish any reduction in their lung function.
Who is it for?
It is applicable to but not limited to the following industries:
- Manufacturing & Processing
- Building & Construction Industry
- Engineering
- Horticulture Industry
- Transportation and Logistics
- Roading
- Waste Services
- Water/Sewage Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Exit medicals are recommended for staff that are leaving the business as they provide the
business with the individual’s health data specific to the health hazard they were exposed to
at the end of their employment.
These results have the following benefits:
– They can assist if the individual develops any work related health issues at a later
stage, as staff often work in similar industries exposed to the same health hazards.
– Offer insight to the business whether implemented control measures are working.
– Protect your business from any possible future ACC claims.
The exit medical should be completed as close to the individual’s finishing date as possible to show their current health status. Exit medical testing should ideally be completed at the
beginning of their last working week.
Examples of workplaces where you may do an exit medical include:
– Workplaces with noise exposure requiring hearing evaluation
– Workplaces with exposure to dusts, fumes, gases , vapors, fumes and smoke
requiring lung function testing
– Workplaces with exposure to heavy manual handling tasks such as lifting, pushing and pulling
– Workplaces with exposure to hazardous substances such as heavy metals or other substances
Exit medicals provide the business with the required health data and can help mitigate liability, should the individual raise an ACC claim in later years caused due to exposure during their employment term at the workplace.
ACC claims are complex and include:
– Information about individuals previous employment
– Business exposure monitoring and survey reports
– Individuals previous health monitoring results