Addressing vaccine preventable disease: Occupational assessment, screening, and vaccination policy

Version 3.0 approved 18 November 2022

The Addressing vaccine preventable disease: Occupational assessment, screening, and vaccination policy (PDF 451KB) provides requirements for:

  • the assessment, screening and vaccination to protect against specified vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) and;
  • assessment and screening of tuberculosis (TB).

The intent of this Policy is to minimise the risk to workers from contracting VPDs and risk of transmission of these infections. This Policy supports a consistent approach to management of occupational assessment, screening and vaccination and facilitates SA Health meeting its duty of care and responsibility under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) to minimise the risk of disease transmission in the workplace.

Applicability

This Policy applies to all current and prospective employees*, contractors, students and volunteers of the Department for Health and Wellbeing, Local Health Networks (including state-wide services aligned with those networks) and SA Ambulance Service.

SA Heath will make provision for vaccinations as may be considered beneficial by SA Ambulance Service to employees covered by the SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) Award for the prevention of contagious infection, for so long as is required under clause 34 of the SAAS Award. For employees covered by the SAAS Award, until such time as clause 34 of the SAAS Award is varied or deleted, it shall not be compulsory for any employee to be subject to inoculations and/or vaccinations under this Policy. Assessment and screening requirements set out in this Policy apply to individuals covered by the SAAS Award.

Vaccine and screening requirements are set out in Mandatory Instruction 1: Risk assessment, screening and vaccination. In addition to the mandatory vaccination requirements for all SA Health roles under this Policy SA Health workers must also comply with any vaccination requirements imposed under legislation (including any directions under the Emergency Management Act 2004 or the South Australian Public Health Act 2011) and any mandatory vaccination requirements under the terms and conditions of employment of employees.

Notes

* it is the role of the employing authority to ensure relevant vaccinations and screenings have taken place before commencement of employment.