Assessment of worksite/workstation

A worksite/workstation assessment may be requested by any worker, but there are procedures to be followed.

The Occupational Health Nurse (OHN) is able to determine whether a given workplace meets general ergonomic principles.

For a general OHS assessment, the OHN will ask the person making the request the following:

• Have you discussed the problem with your supervisor?
• Does your supervisor know that you are making the request for OHS to do the assessment? If not, please discuss it with him/her.
• Have either you or your supervisor advised the:
  
  • Head of the School/Department
  • Faculty Registrar
  • Divisional Head

  of the problem and the request for assistance from OHS?

If the above people have not been advised then either the supervisor or the OHN will advise senior management that:

• the request has been received
• it is part of the OHS role to do it
• the supervisor knows about it
• OHS will do it on date X

For an assessment when a person is undertaking rehabilitation, an assessment by members of the OHS unit may suffice.

However, if it is the opinion of any of the OHS staff, (including the Rehabilitation Case Manager) or the opinion of the staff member or their treating practitioners that an occupational therapist or ergonomist should assess the area then the Rehabilitation Case Manager will make necessary arrangements with the consultant and with the area supervisor etc to enable such an assessment to take place.