Like every other part of the world, coal mining in New South Wales is risky. Therefore, any employee in the industry must be in good health before commencing work.
Consequently, every coal mining employee or job applicant in the state has to do a prerequisite NSW coal board medical mandated by the Coal Mine Workers’ Health Scheme.
Table of Contents
What Is Coal Board Medical?
Coal board medical, also known as order 43 medicals, covers a range of fitness tests coal mining employees undergo. The examination includes lung function, hearing and vision tests, and musculoskeletal assessment to query probable health conditions that could worsen due to particle exposure and expose workers to more harm.
Also, the examination prioritizes respiratory health surveillance due to the abundance of particle and chemical emission during mining.
While getting your NSW coal board medical done, the medical personnel can unearth a condition that requires acute medical management. Nevertheless, if the results show no danger, then they issues you a fitness certificate.
Note: Different mine sites have a specific list of items to evaluate.
Required Tests for Coal Board Medicals
Because coal board medical is a holistic assessment, a battery of tests is necessary to prove your health is optimal. Therefore, getting your NSW coal board medical at an establishment fully equipped and staffed to run all the tests is best.
The required tests include the following:
- Spirometry
- Respiratory questionnaire
- Chest X-ray
- Cardiovascular system evaluation
- Musculoskeletal system assessment
- Vision test
- Auditory canal assessment
- Hearing test
- Urinalysis
- Medical history questionnaire
- Skin assessment
- Abdomen examination
Classes of Coal Board Medical
Based on when you’re getting the examinations done, NSW coal board medical falls under three categories.
Pre-placement
Pre-placement coal board medical is done before starting work in a coal mine. Individuals undergoing this assessment are either new to the industry or are transferring to new divisions. The pre-placement test is crucial because it serves as a sieve, letting through only folks healthy enough for the job.
Periodic
The mines are notorious for producing several toxic substances that can negatively impact workers’ health. Constant exposure to heat, coal dust, noise, UV rays and other harmful chemicals may precipitate vision, auditory, respiratory and musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, it becomes imperative to have periodic order 43 medicals every three years.
These periodic tests can uncover a developing or full-blown medical disorder that may require complex case management. However, individuals with good results receive certification to keep working.
Exit
Upon retirement or resignation from mining, you’ll undergo another coal board medical to assess your health status.
A medical adviser signing off a coal board medical result
Sections of an Order 43 Medical
Coal board medical has four sections, and specific individuals must complete each.
The sections are as follows:
- Section I
Employers complete the first section of the evaluation. Here, they provide the following information:
- Appointed medical advisers (AMA) information
- Employer information
- Employee’s position
- Health risks associated with the job
- Section II
Under the second section, the worker provides their personal details, work and medical history.
- Section III
The medical evaluation comes under the third section. Each worker undergoes medical checks, audiometry, spirometry, alcohol and drug checks, chest x-ray, etc.
- Section IV
In the last section, a registered AMA signs off the results. Going by the results, a worker may be declared fit to work, given some work restrictions, or sent for further evaluation.
Conclusion
Working in the mining industry comes with significant exposure to health risks. Therefore, employees undergo a prerequisite coal board medical to ascertain their health status. The evaluation cuts across different body functions, mainly the respiratory, musculoskeletal, auditory and visual functions.
At the end of the coal board medical, an appointed medical adviser signs off on the outcome declaring the worker either fit or unfit for service.
