Health assessments protect the safety and health of the individual and of employees, students, and the public with whom the individual may come in contact in the course of their duties. Health assessments cover work in certain known risk situations that is governed by federal, state, or local standards. Health assessments are linked to the job duties of a position.
Health assessments for on-campus departments are provided by the UF OCCMED Clinic. Health Assessments for off-campus centers and offices outside the Gainesville area use local physicians for their health assessments. The physician used for workers’ compensation cases or periodic medical monitoring is usually an appropriate choice.
Preplacement Health Assessments (PPHA’s)
PPHA’s are for applicants who have accepted an offer of employment for a position whose duties are in the identified risk areas and for current employees whose duties have changed into the identified risk areas.
The University of Florida requires that employment in positions with covered job duties be subject to the successful completion of a health assessment – a job offer is contingent upon the favorable results of the post-offer preplacement health assessment. The applicant may not begin work until after being cleared to work by the UF Occupational Medicine Clinic in Gainesville.
The assessments also establish a baseline record.
Departments where the new hire will work in the Gainesville area schedule the individual’s health assessments with the UF OCCMED Clinic. One exception is for the new employee of an IFAS unit located in another area of the state, in which case the unit administrator will schedule the exam with a local physician. The medical records are then sent directly from the local provider to the UF OCCMED Clinic.
Individual’s whose job duties trigger a health assessment must complete that health assessment requirement before the assignment begins.
Periodic Health Assessments
Periodic medical monitoring continues from the preplacement health assessment for selected categories that require health assessments at varying periods of time. Departments determine whether an OCCMED-covered job duty is included in their employee’s assignment and track periodic dates for upcoming health assessments. The major areas that include periodic medical monitoring are animal contact, asbestos, commercial driver license, contact with human blood, patient contact, work with pesticides, use of respirators, scientific research diving and work in areas of excessive noise.
Health Assessment Required?
The University of Florida requires that employment in positions with UF OCCMED Program-covered job duties be subject to the successful completion of a health assessment – a job offer is contingent upon the favorable results of the post-offer preplacement health assessment. The applicant may not begin work until after being cleared to work by the UF OCCMED Clinic at UF in Gainesville.
UF also requires volunteers who will perform UF OCCMED Program-covered job duties be subject to the successful completion of a health assessment before the duties begin.
Preplacement Health Assessments (PPHAs) are completed initially.
Periodic Health Assessments are completed at specific frequencies dependent on the specific OCCMED Program.
Departments schedule health assessments based on where the individual will work.
- For work within the Gainesville area, the departments coordinate with the UF OCCMED Clinic.
Ph: 352-294-5700. - For work outside the Gainesville area, the departments coordinate with a local provider who sends all resulting medical records to the UF OCCMED Clinic, Box 100148, Gainesville, FL 32611; Ph: 352-294-5700; Email: ; Fax: 352-846-2003. Fax Cover Sheet
Documentation for Health Assessments
- UF Employee Preplacement Health Assessments: Policies and ProceduresPDF file provides health assessment details.
- OCCMED Medical Monitoring Programweb pages provide health assessment details for periodic medical monitoring.
- OCCMED formsare used by departments, individuals, and providers outside the Gainesville area.
Administrative Questions? Call UF Environmental Health and Safety: 352-392-1591
Medical Questions? Call UF OCCMED Clinic: 352-294-5700
How does the Health Assessment Process Work?
The University of Florida Occupational Medicine Health Assessment Process requires participation by departments, individuals, the UF Occupational Medicine Service (a division of the Student Health Care Center), Human Resource Services and Environmental Health & Safety.
The Health Assessment Process document serves to outline the sequence of actions required for compliance with the OCCMED Program.
- Who is involved?
- The department/college representative may be the supervisor, the department HR administrator, the PI, the department chair, or the dean.
- The individual may be a paid employee, a non-paid student, a faculty member, a volunteer, or a contractor.
- The provider for those in the Gainesville is the UF OCCMED Clinic; for those outside the Gainesville area is a local health care provider.
- The compliance officer is a department or college representative.
- The authority is the University of Florida, the State of Florida, an accrediting agency, or the federal government.
- What
is included?
- Preplacement health assessments
- Periodic medical monitoring health assessments
- When are they required?
- Before an individual begins the OCCMED-covered job duty
Ex. When an applicant accepts employment offer for job duties covered in OCCMED Program
Ex. When a current employee receives a change of job duties now covered in OCCMED Program
- Periodically based on the medical monitoring program
Most Medical Monitoring Programs require renewals annually or every three years
- Where are they done?
- The UF OCCMED Clinic for those in the Gainesville area
- Local health care providers throughout the State of Florida for those outside the Gainesville area
- Why are they needed?
- To meet UF Policy, State and Federal regulations
- How does the process work?
- Health Assessment Process (pdf)
For more information on the health assessment process at the University of Florida or to schedule a department visit, contact Environmental Health and Safety at or (352) 392-1591.
Job Duties: Covered by OCCMED and Requiring Health Assessments
Supervisor Checklist for Health Assessments is available in Adobe Acrobat pdf format for use within a department. The Checklist is a tool to help departments with the following.
- Identify whether any of the OCCMED-covered job duties apply to the departmental job assignment
- Identify whether a health assessment is required
- Provide a reference to update job duties assigned to a position with a number
Go to the myUFL sign-on at //my.ufl.edu/ps/signon.htmland log in
Add/Update Position Information in Organizational Development and submit for approval - Provide a reference to update job duties assigned without a position number (Ex. OPS, Volunteers)
Complete the INOPform and submit for approval.
Two job duties require approval from Environmental Health and Safety before a health assessment can be scheduled. EH&S will upload the approved request form to a SharePoint site for UF OCCMED Clinic reference.
- BioPath triggers the need for an initial as well as annual health assessment. The Department must submit the BioPath Authorization Form for individual participation in the BioPath: Biohazard Medical Monitoring Program.
- Respirator use triggers the need for an initial as well as an annual health assessment. The Department must submit the Request for Respirator Use Form for individual participation in the Respiratory Protection Program.
The UF OCCMED Clinic needs the job duties identified before a health assessment is initiated.
- Animal Contact* is exposure to vertebrate animals, animal tissues, body fluids or wastes; works with animals or works in animal facilities.
- Asbestos Abatement* includes individuals involved in an abatement effort
- BioPathincludes all those with potential exposure to risk group 3 agents as part of their work
- Climbingincludes on not only leg motion but also hand-over-hand motion such as with climbing ladders but not stairs
- Commercial Driver License* is for those required to have a commercial driver license as part of their UF employment)
- Contact with Human Blood or Other Potentially Infectious Material* (OPIM) includes human body fluids other than feces, urine, tears and sweat
- Frequent reaching above shoulderincludes painting, shelving books, running overhead cable, etc.
- Heavy Liftingrefers to 51 pounds and over
- Kneelingis for more than 2 hours per day
- Law Enforcementis with the University Police Department
- Noise* (Work in Area of Excessive Noise) has a noise level defined by OSHA
- Operation of Special Purpose Vehicleincludes industrial or farm equipment
- Patient Contactis having physical or face-to-face contact with a patient
- Pesticide Use* includes all users of Toxicity Class I and cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides who mix, load, apply or otherwise handle those materials (except in original, unopened containers)
- Repeated Bendingis for more than 2 hours per day
- Repetitive Pulling and Pushingincludes recurring general physical activity
- Respirator Use* is for individuals required to wear a respirator on a routine or emergency basis
- Scientific Research Diving* includes individuals who participate in UF affiliated research diving
*Requires Periodic Medical Monitoring and/or Training
Residents and Fellows
Post-Offer Health Assessment, Bloodborne Pathogen/Biomedical Waste Training and Respirator Procedures for Residents and Fellows
Revised December 19, 2020
The following guidelines focus on preplacement screening, bloodborne pathogen training and N95 respirator clearance for College of Medicine residents and fellows as employees of the University of Florida who will have patient contact as well as occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. College of Dentistry residents follow these procedures unless noted otherwise by their Dean’s office.
Residents must complete and submit to UF’s Occupational Medicine Program (OHS) the appropriate screening forms to be cleared to work with patients. Those who are NOT CLEARED by OHS before the individual’s employment date WILL NOT be allowed to work with patients at the University of Florida.
Questions or concerns regarding medical questionnaires and/or immunization status can only be addressed by the OCCMED Clinic at 294-5700.
TIMELINE for Residents and Fellows Starting Program 7/1/21- April 30: Deadline for resident and fellow forms to OHS
- June 30: Deadline for Student Health Care Center health assessment completion
- June 30: Deadline for Bloodborne Pathogen and Biomedical Waste Training at UF
- June 30: Deadline for N95 Respirator Training at UF
- The residents and fellows
return the completed medical screening forms directly to OHS by April 30
(Email: ). - The OHS establishes the medical screening clearance status of each new resident/fellow and posts the status of health assessments in myUFL by June 30.
- Departments must confirm Occupational health clearance before residents see patients.
FORMS
OHS CONTACTSPlease send ALL correspondence to the Occupational Medicine Program (OHS) email address:
HEALTH ASSESSMENT STATUS FOLLOW-UPThe department must track the health assessment status for individuals before they begin the assigned job duty.
- For department HR representatives: myUFL>Human Resources>Workforce Monitoring>Health and Safety>Record Medical Exam Results>Physical Exam
- For residents with an active employee status: myUFL>Personal Information>My Self Service>UF Health Assessment
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) is responsible for tracking the Bloodborne Pathogen Program’s (BBP) and Biomedical Waste (BMW) training. Since this training must be site-specific, BBP and BMW training at another facility outside of UF. Shands does not substitute for the required training at the University of Florida.
College of Medicine house staff should use the New Innovations (NI) portal to complete this and all required training. If you have trouble logging into the system, please contact your program coordinator within the College of Medicine. BBP and BMW Training is required for all College of Medicine house staff.
New Innovations Portal: www.new-innov.com
Click: “Client Login”
Institution: ufl
Username: (username)
Password: Each house staff member will receive an e-mail from New Innovations (NI) with a password.
Copy and paste the password into the appropriate cell.
There will be a prompt to personalize the password at the initial login.
(At this time, there will be also be an
option to reset the username.)
College of Dentistry residents follow their Dean’s office directive. BBP and BMW Training is required for all College of Dentistry residents.
Contacts: (352) 392-1591
- Sharon Judge, Biosafety Officer ()
- Biosafety Office ()
The Respiratory Protection Program requires initial medical clearance along with initial and annual training and fit tests for N95 respirators. The medical clearance is established by the SHCC during the initial patient contact screening.
College of Medicine house staff should use the New Innovations (NI) portal to complete this and all required training. If you have trouble logging into the system, please contact your program coordinator within the College of Medicine. N95 Respirator Training is required for College of Medicine house staff in specific areas. These areas are noted in the New Innovations system.
New Innovations Portal: www.new-innov.com
Click: “Client Login”
Institution:: ufl
Username: (username)
Password: Each
house staff member will receive an e-mail from New Innovations (NI) with a password.
Copy and paste the password into the appropriate cell.
There will be a prompt to personalize the password at the initial login.
(At this time, there will be also be an option to reset the username.)
After the N95 training is complete, the respirator fit test can be scheduled with Environmental Health & Safety on an individual basis in the EH&S office building 179. For groups, EH&S can conduct the fit tests at the resident’s location.
Respirator Fit Test Contact
(352) 273-2163 or (352) 273-2118
Waivers
When filling a vacant position or reclassifying a filled position that requires a health assessment, on occasion, the selected candidate may meet the criteria for a health assessment waiver as described below. A promotion or reassignment candidate might be an example.
The department may request a waiver for the required health assessment by submitting the Candidate Waiver Request Form to EH&S. The Form should be scanned and sent to .
EH&S
will enter results of the waiver request in myUFL’s Workforce Monitoring.
Pending items will be noted in the Workforce Monitoring Comments box.
Presence of a previous post-offer physical examination of file at the SHCC.
If the individual has left UF employment and then returned, the previous physical exam must have been completed no more than 12months before. Conventionally, the exam must have been performed at the SHCC and not substituted by an outside examiner. In the case of an off-campus health assessment, if the previous exam, using UF/SHCC forms, has been completed and approved by the SHCC for substitution of the post-offer examination, the SHCC will allow such an exam to be utilized as the basis for a waiver.)
- No significant changes will occur in the essential functions of the job.
- No significant changes should have occurred in the health status or physical capabilities of the employee in question.
Under some circumstances, the employee may be asked to complete a new health history form for review by SHCC Occupational Medicine staff.
Post-offer evaluation for the new position may require additional ancillary testing or immunizations.
It may be possible to waive part but not all of the post-offer evaluation (e.g. waive the physical exam but require PPD testing or Measles/Mumps/Rubella [MMR] vaccination).
Please refer to UF Employee Preplacement Health Assessments Policies and Procedures for specific details for this process.