Petroleum refineries, fuel terminals, chemical plants and gas processing facilities handle large volumes of hydrocarbons and process chemicals. Most exposures are controlled by closed systems, but workers can be exposed during maintenance, sampling, tank cleaning, turnarounds, loading and unloading, and when there is a leak or loss of containment.
Common hazards for petrochemical workers in Australia include:
Under the model WHS Regulations, health monitoring must be provided when a worker carries out ongoing work with a Schedule 14 hazardous chemical and there is a significant risk to their health. In petrochemical work, the workers most likely to need monitoring include:
The decision about who to include should be based on the site’s risk assessment and exposure monitoring results, not job title alone.
Employees Health doctors design monitoring around the substances present on your site. Depending on the exposures, a program may include:
For PAH exposure, Schedule 14 monitoring includes history, physical examination with attention to the skin, records of personal exposure and health advice about photosensitivity and skin changes. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene may be used as a biological marker of PAH exposure. Read more about PAH health monitoring and solvent exposure medicals.
Workers who are frequently required to wear hearing protection must have audiometric testing within three months of starting that work and at least every two years after that. Where workers wear respirators or have respiratory exposures, a respiratory questionnaire and spirometry may also be included.
Employees Health can deliver petrochemical health monitoring onsite anywhere in Australia, including metropolitan refineries and terminals, regional processing plants and remote gas facilities. Our team works around continuous operations, 12-hour rosters and night shift, and can schedule sessions before or during planned shutdowns so contractors and turnaround crews are assessed while they are on site. Workers can also attend one of our clinics.
A baseline assessment before a worker starts exposed work gives a reference point for later results. Periodic monitoring then follows at intervals set by the supervising doctor based on the substance and level of exposure.
The PCBU must inform workers about health monitoring, arrange for it to be carried out by or under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner with experience in health monitoring, and pay for it. Health monitoring does not replace controls such as closed sampling, ventilation, gas detection and personal protective equipment, but it can show whether those controls are working. Our team can help you decide which workers and tests to include. This is practical guidance, not legal advice, and requirements can differ between states and territories.
Individual medical information is handled confidentially. The supervising doctor provides a health monitoring report to the employer stating whether the worker can continue the work and any recommended changes to controls, and each worker receives their own results. Health monitoring records must be kept confidentially for at least 30 years.
To arrange petrochemical health monitoring, call 1300 880 804, email our team or contact our team.
Some can be, depending on the substance, the level of exposure and how it occurs. Benzene, found in crude oil and petrol, is a known human carcinogen, and other hydrocarbons and solvents can irritate the skin and lungs or affect the nervous system. Controls, exposure monitoring and health monitoring help manage these risks.
Petroleum workers may be exposed to benzene and other volatile hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulphide, PAHs from heavy fractions, and skin contact with oils and fuels. Short-term effects can include headaches, dizziness and skin irritation, while some substances carry longer-term risks such as blood disorders or cancer.
Benzene is listed in Schedule 14 of the model WHS Regulations. Health monitoring must include a medical and occupational history, records of personal exposure, a physical examination and a baseline blood sample for a haematological profile. The supervising doctor may recommend further blood tests over time.
Petroleum products are mixtures, and their toxicity depends on the components and the route of exposure. Inhaling vapours can cause dizziness and nausea, prolonged skin contact can cause dermatitis, and some components such as benzene are carcinogenic. A doctor experienced in health monitoring can advise what testing suits your workers’ exposures.
Yes. Employees Health delivers health monitoring onsite at refineries, fuel terminals, chemical plants and remote facilities anywhere in Australia. Programs can cover benzene, PAHs, noise and other exposures in one visit.
