NSW Coal Mine Workers Order 43

Overview

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Respirator Fit Testing
FAQ

Health Monitoring Requirements for the NSW Coal Industry

The re-identification of coal workers pneumoconiosis in 2016, led to a review of the NSW Coal Mine Workers Order 41. The Coal Services Board approved changes to strengthen the Order, changing the health monitoring requirements for NSW coal workers as of the 1 July 2018.

Coal Services Health Monitoring Requirements for Coal Mine Workers Order No. 43 builds on the Order 41 processes and systems established to protect the health and safety of workers in the NSW coal industry.

What’s the difference between Order 41 Medical and Order 43 Medical?

Requirement of a Respiratory FIT-test

Formalisation of reporting standards

An approved and appropriately qualified medical practitioner and registered nurse must perform Order 43 medical assessments.

Employer Role Requirement Form to be completed prior to the medical assessment.

Increased frequency of chest x-rays to every three years for underground, open cut coal mine workers, including coal workers with a history of dust exposure.

What are the new requirements for chest X-rays?

Order 43 increases the frequency of chest x-rays for coal workers as follows:

Pre-employment chest x-rays

A pre-employment chest x-ray is required for all workers on entry to the NSW mining industry. Existing workers who are changing roles are not required to undergo a chest x-ray, as long as they can provide an ILO chest x-ray less than three years old.

Periodic chest x-rays

Underground coal workers must undergo a chest x-ray every three years or at a shorter interval if indicated in their last medical;
Open cut worker involved in the production, processing or maintenance of coal must undergo a chest x-ray every three years or at the interval recommended in their last medical;
Workers with a history of hazardous dust exposure must undergo a chest x-ray every three years;
Other workers must undergo a chest x-ray every six years.

Introduction of an exit medical assessment

Exit medicals must be offered to all those employees retiring or otherwise ceasing work to ensure that any conditions that may impact on health after exiting the industry are identified, and appropriate actions put in place. The exit medical does not contain a respiratory FIT component.

Want to know more?

For further information about these changes please click the link below:

Visit coalservices.com.au

Respirator Fit Testing

Why do you need Respirator Testing?

Under the NSW Coal Industry Act 2001, Order 41 (health monitoring) detailed the requirements for all coal mining companies to ensure their workers undergo health monitoring. Order 43, taking effect July 1, 2018 strengthens the health monitoring requirements for NSW coal mine workers. This is in response to the re-identification of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (black lung). Respirator Fit Testing now forms part of the pre-placement and periodic health assessments as a proactive step in protecting workers’ health and providing ongoing education in the use of personal protective equipment.

Why is Fit Testing Important?

People come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and so do personal respirators. Because of this, a perfect facial fit is paramount in obtaining optimum protection. A poor fitting respirator may lead to leakage of contaminants into the breathing zone, thereby compromising the safety of the wearer.

Not all respirators will fit all faces
Poorly fitting respirators will leak contaminants into the breathing zone

Respirator Fit Testing is required at the following times:

Pre-placement: for all workers undertaking tasks in production, processing or maintenance for the first time, or when moving to a new coal mine or employer

Periodic: every three years, for all workers who are currently, or have in the past undertaken tasks in production, processing or maintenance at a coal mine

Obligations

What are my obligations as an EMPLOYER?

Order 43 requires that coal mine workers who undertake tasks relating to production, processing or maintenance must complete a Respirator Fit as a component of their medical assessment at the following times:

At pre-placement medical assessment, prior to commencing work in a coal operation – IF this is their first time working in a NSW coal mine.
At their periodic medical every three years.

As the employer YOU MUST PROVIDE THE RESPIRATOR they will be using for the assessment.

Why do I need to provide the respirator?
There are a multitude of respirator devices being used across the coal mining industry. It is not feasible for a medical provider to maintain a store of all these devises. However it is necessary for the worker to be assessed with the device they will be using.

Respirator Fit testing assesses whether the respirator assigned to a person forms an adequate seal around their face and verifies whether the wearer is provided the required level of protection against exposure to hazardous atmospheric contaminants.

What are my obligations as an EMPLOYEE?

You must bring to your appointment the RESPIRATOR PROVIDED BY YOUR EMPLOYER (or future employer).

You must remove ALL facial hair. Facial hair will interfere with the respirator fit. The complete sealing surface of the respirator must be in contact with the wearer’s skin.

You must remove any piercings and makeup. All forms of jewellery that may interfere with the facial seal must not be worn. Facial make-up and creams applied to the face should not be worn as they may interfere with the face seal.

Which respirators and dust masks need to be tested? Bring to your appointment the type of mask you would wear at work. Any tight fitting mask must be tested. This includes:

All disposable masks known as either P2 or N95 masks
Half-face masks
Full-face masks
Full-face self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) masks
Full-face powered air purifying (PAPR) masks

What does Respirator Fit Testing involve?

Sonic HealthPlus use the latest PortaCount quantitative fit test technology to assess whether the respirator assigned to a person forms an adequate seal around their face and verifies whether the wearer is provided the required level of protection against exposure to hazardous atmospheric contaminants.

Workers don the mask and the PortaCount devise measures respirator fit whilst the user performs a series of moving, breathing and talking exercises designed to simulate actual use in the workplace.

The test takes around 20 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sonic HealthPlus qualified to perform Order 43 medicals to the updated legislation requirements?

These legislative changes mean that as of the 1 July 2018, Sonic HealthPlus will only be able to offer Order 43 medicals at the following Sonic HealthPlus locations.

Newcastle, NSW

Parramatta, NSW

Brisbane Airport

Oxley, QLD

Mackay, QLD

We will continue to make bookings into Alliance locations which are accredited by NSW Coal Services.

How much is a Respirator FIT-test?

The test costs $115 + GST. It takes around 20 minutes to complete and must be performed by a trained Registered Nurse.

Respirator Fit Testing is required at the following times:
Pre-placement: for all workers undertaking tasks in production, processing or maintenance for the first time, or when moving to a new coal mine or employer

Periodic: every three years, for all workers who are currently, or have in the past undertaken tasks in production, processing or maintenance at a coal mine

Are there new medical forms to be completed?

Yes there are new forms to complete, some of which must be completed prior to the medical assessment by your employer. The Employer, or future employer, must complete and submit the Employer Role Requirments form and submit to SonicCoal@sonichelathplus.com.au.

The medical assessment is now completed on line by the accredited doctor. We are unable to provide you a copy of this ahead of your appointment.

How long will it take to get the results back?

Once all of the required information is provided to Sonic HealthPlus (X-Rays performed by a registered clinic and any additional requests for information from the Doctor are supplied) it will be signed off by the approved Doctor within 48 business hours.

How long does an Order 43 medical last for?

Current validity is three years.

I have a valid Order 41 Medical – Can you transpose it to an Order 43 Medical?

Employers can utilise an existing pre-placement medical assessment for a new employee, provided the pre-placement medical assessment was undertaken within 12 months – and provided it is approved by Coal Services.

The Coal Services website has a process to follow to apply for approval of an existing medical that the candidate/employee must complete. Click here to apply for approval.

Sonic HealthPlus is not able to transpose medicals.

Can I use my Order 43 medical to work in QLD?

Different states have different legislative requirements and you need to meet the legislative requirements for the state you will be working in.

Can I use my Qld Coal Board Medical to work in NSW?

No. Different states have different legislative requirements and you need to meet the legislative requirements for the state you are working in.

Can I complete an Order 43 medical without having a confirmed job at a mine?

No. We are currently seeking advice from the Coal Services on this issue for individuals wanting to be mine ready and will advise in due course.

There is a new consent form – where is the medical information going?

Your medical information is submitted by the examining Doctor to the Senior Medical Officer at Coal Services Health for inclusion in the Coal Services Health Industry Database. Where information is incomplete, the medical will not be accepted. This includes the submission of the Employer Role Requirements Form.

Further Information

For further information please contact your client partner.

Enquire about NSW Coal Mine Workers Order 43

COVID-19 UPDATE: All persons attending a medical appointment at a Sonic HealthPlus clinic will be required to complete a COVID-19 Triage Assessment form. If you are not vaccinated or fully vaccinated, we will need to undertake a risk assessment, which may include Rapid Antigen Testing.

Please note: Patients who attend for their medical assessment presenting with flu-like symptoms or have recently travelled from a COVID hotspot may be turned away.

NSW Coal Mine Workers Order 43

Health Monitoring Requirements for the NSW Coal Industry

What’s the difference between Order 41 Medical and Order 43 Medical?