A NSW Government website

Resources Regulator

Health related notifications and authorisations

Health monitoring means monitoring of a person to identify changes in the person’s health status because of exposure to certain substances. Complete the Notification of adverse health monitoring reports in relation to a mine or petroleum site form via the Regulator Portal to notify mine safety of any adverse health monitoring reports.

Health monitoring may include:

  • consultation, for example, answering questions regarding previous occupational and medical history or lifestyle, for example dietary, smoking and drinking habits and discussing with the worker how this may affect their health
  • a physical examination, for example skin checks or a spirometry (lung function) test
  • clinical tests, for example, urine or blood samples
  • X-rays.

Safe Work Australia has a range of guidance materials in relation to health monitoring:

Lead notifications

'Lead risk work' involves working with lead in a process that is likely to cause lead levels in a worker's blood to exceed healthy limits.

For the period up to and including 30 June 2021 ‘lead risk work’ means blood levels at or exceeding:

  • 10 μg/dL (0.48 μmol/L) for a female of reproductive capacity
  • 30 μg/dL (1.45 μmol/L) in other cases.

From 1 July 2021 ‘lead risk work’ means:

  • 5 μg/dL (0.24 μmol/L) for a female of reproductive capacity
  • 20 μg/dL (0.97 μmol/L) in other cases.

Lead risk work is found in various industries, including mining. Examples of processes involving lead include:

  • dry lead compounds, lead batteries or pasting or casting lead
  • spraying molten lead metal or alloys containing lead metal
  • gold refining
  • foundry processes, melting or casting lead alloys
  • recovering lead ore, oxides or other compounds
  • grinding, discing, buffing or cutting alloys containing lead
  • welding, cutting or cleaning metal coated with lead or lead paint
  • radiator repairs
  • fire assays if lead, lead compounds or lead alloys are used
  • spray painting with lead paint
  • removing paint containing lead
  • handling waste containing lead
  • detonators or other explosives that contain lead.

More information on this can be found in the legislation , Safe Work NSW as well as in our guide on lead notifications (PDF, 455.61 KB).

Notification of lead risk work

All persons conducting or undertaking a business must assess each lead process to determine whether lead risk work is being carried out.

If you cannot determine whether lead risk work is being carried out, then the process is taken to include lead risk work until otherwise established and you must notify us.

The Notification of lead risk work form (DOCX, 108.58 KB) must be submitted to us at least seven days before lead work begins. Each form is valid for the duration of the lead risk work. Refer to the guide on lead notifications (PDF, 455.61 KB) before submitting the form.

View the Fact sheet - Lead risk work notifications (PDF, 125.26 KB).

Notification of the removal of a worker from lead risk work

Health monitoring must be undertaken by a worker before lead risk work commences and one month after commencement.

For workers who perform ongoing lead work, biological monitoring must be arranged in accordance with the frequencies published in the WHS Regulation.

A worker must be removed from the lead risk work and you must notify us when:

  • a workers test results exceed the prescribed levels (refer to the guide on lead notifications (PDF, 455.61 KB))
  • test results indicate that the worker may have contracted a disease, injury or illness from working with lead
  • risk control measures have failed and remedial measures need to be taken including whether the worker can continue to carry out the work (as advised by a medical practitioner in the health monitoring report).

For the period up to an including 30 June 2021

A worker must be removed from lead risk work when biological monitoring shows the worker's blood level is, or more than:

  • 15 μg/dL (0.72 μmol/L) for females who are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • 20 μg/dL (0.97 μmol/L) for females of reproductive capacity
  • 50 μg/dL (2.42 μmol/L) for females not of reproductive capacity and males.

The worker may then only return to lead risk work if the medical practitioner is satisfied that the worker is fit to return and the worker’s blood lead level is less than:

  • 10 μg/dL (0.48 μmol/L) for females of reproductive capacity
  • 40 µg/dL (1.93µmol/L) for females not of reproductive capacity and males.

From 1 July 2021

A worker must be removed from lead risk work when biological monitoring shows the worker's blood level is, or more than:

  • 10 μg/dL (0.48 μmol/L) for females of reproductive capacity
  • 30 μg/dL (1.45 μmol/L) for females not of reproductive capacity and males.

The worker may then only return to lead risk work if the medical practitioner is satisfied that the worker is fit to return and the worker’s blood lead level is less than:

  • 5 µg/dL (0.24 µmol/L) for females of reproductive capacity
  • 20 µg/dL (0.97 µmol/L) for females not of reproductive capacity and males.

If a worker must be removed from doing lead work then you must complete the form to notify us of the removal of a worker from lead risk work (DOCX, 77.9 KB). Refer to the guide on lead notifications (PDF, 455.61 KB) before submitting the form.

Use of carcinogens

Authorisation is required:

  • to use, handle or store a prohibited carcinogen referred to in Schedule 10, Table 10.1, column 2 of the WHS Regulation; and
  • to use handle or store a restricted carcinogen referred to in Schedule 10, Table 10.2, column 2 of the WHS Regulation.

(Clauses 380 and 381 of the WHS Regulation)

Prohibited and restricted carcinogens are not readily available and are used for example in chemotherapy.

To apply for authorisation read the Authorisation to use, handle or store prohibited or restricted carcinogens guide (PDF, 177.6 KB) and complete the Application for authorisation to use carcinogens form (DOCX, 94.5 KB).