6 replies to this topic

[SS2010]

Hi,

I am just wondering about the medical certificate requirements in case of new employee prior to start /join to work (permanent+casual+part time+full time)
and also with the existing employee.(any frequency)

Instead of GP can we create kinda internal form by which we can cover the point that working employee are feet for the work!
also they are safe for food as well.

[Jason H.Z.C.]

Hi SS2010,

I have no idea that whether there exist a national law mandatorily require you to do medical screening on your staff. At least in China government has this kind of requirement to the food factories.

Furthermore quality assurance encourage you to show the certificates/records to the buyers/inspectors/auditors. So I propose you maintain the GP health certificates.

Only my five cents opinion,

Best regards,

Jason

[Dr Ajay Shah]

Hi SS2010

You need to create an internal questionnaire that allows questions for answers you are seeking from your current and new employees. This will also help you with Occupational Health and Safety Issues as well. These documents must be kept confidential and must not be released to any source as you will be breaking privacy laws in Australia at least.

The GP cannot release any information pertaining to their patient as it is all classed as confidential.

With the questionnaire at least have a section where the CEO, MD or GM signs the document and the employee signs the document for litigation purposes.

I hope this has helped you in your quest

Regards

Ajay Shah

[GMO]

In the UK I know a pre-employment questionnaire is ok but obviously someone competent needs to review the form and decide if any action needs to be taken. If you do decide to go down the GP route, you can ask the employee (in the UK anyway) to have a check up with their GP and ask for their authorisation for occ health to have a copy. Beware though that it's normally expected in the UK and presumably elsewhere that GPs will be paid by your company for this service so it can be an expensive way to go, especially as the kind of checks they did with me when I had one could easily have been done in house by an occ health nurse.

Note, if your company is too small or decides not to employ occ health staff, I found out fairly recently that you can pay for occ health services to be contracted to your company in the UK (ie outsource them), so for example if you want an occ health GP opinion, you don't then have to employ an occ health GP but perhaps could employ his or her services on a day a month or as needed basis.

[SS2010]

Many thanks Mr Shah,

Would you please assist me to create the questionnaire please,What sorta questions should I cover in the questionnaire please?

Much appreciated for your time

kind regards,
shraddha

Hi SS2010

You need to create an internal questionnaire that allows questions for answers you are seeking from your current and new employees. This will also help you with Occupational Health and Safety Issues as well. These documents must be kept confidential and must not be released to any source as you will be breaking privacy laws in Australia at least.

The GP cannot release any information pertaining to their patient as it is all classed as confidential.

With the questionnaire at least have a section where the CEO, MD or GM signs the document and the employee signs the document for litigation purposes.

I hope this has helped you in your quest

Regards

Ajay Shah

[agwanda]

Hi SS2010,

I think it is important to do a medical screening for every new employee particularly those in the food handling chain. This will work to the benefit of the whole organization in terms of communicable diseases. An instance are food borne infections such as salmonellosis, TB etc which are fairly easy to spread through food.

If the employee is 'sick' he or she may require adequate medical attention before starting work or in certain cases restricted from working in certain zones of the food premises due the hazards he might pose to food safety.

Secondly, doing medical screening inducts the employee to also understand the sensitivity of the food processing activity and also enables him/her take seriously health issues in relation to food safety.

Am glad to note that most national legislations provide for this. IMO every food handling organization should make this a mandatory provision.

Regards,

Agwanda

[Kamwenji Njuma]

Dear All,

To compliment with the company's hygiene and health questionaire ,there is regulation in Kenya that all food handlers should undergo medical screening from relevant goverment hospitals every six months for stool(presence of worms),urine(urinary tract infections) and blood (widal test)checks.In case a food handler tests positive he/she is taken to hospital and treated before being allowed to work.

Regards,
Kamwenji