The RCT Source

No – whether or not it is recommended that an employee be vaccinated against infection will depend on the findings of a risk assessment (managers may find it helpful/necessary to obtain advice from the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Unit on the need for vaccination).

It is not the intention of the Council to vaccinate employees where it is assessed that other control measures will be sufficient, for example good hygiene practices, safe systems of work and the provision of personal protective equipment.

Employees’ agreement will be required for them to participate in any vaccination programme.  

No – if vaccinations are deemed necessary for employees because of their work, the cost must be met by the employer.

Yes:              

• prior to vaccination, employees should complete a ‘vaccination questionnaire’, a copy of which is included in Council Policy HS25;
• also prior to vaccination, the employee must be advised on the risks of infection and the benefits of being vaccinated, and also on any side effects of the vaccination;
• after vaccination, records of vaccinations received by employees must be forwarded to Human Resources for inserting in employees’ personal files.

Yes – an employee’s agreement is required for them to be vaccinated.

However, where it is determined that a vaccination is advisable and an employee refuses, then the manager may need to prohibit them from carrying out that particular work activity and seek advice from Human Resources on what procedure should be followed in view of the employee’s refusal. 

The following are examples of the types of diseases and infections that employees may be exposed to:

• gastroenteritis;
• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) – refer to Council Policy HS14;
• hepatitis A;
• hepatitis B;
• hepatitis C;
• leptospirosis (Weil’s disease);
• poliomyelitis;
• tuberculosis;
• typhoid;
• tetanus;
• anthrax;
• rabies;
• MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus).

This will depend on the type of job the employee does and the degree of risk involved, but measures that can be taken are:

• ensuring good hygiene practices are followed;
• ensuring safe working practices are implemented and followed;
• providing suitable personal protective equipment, where appropriate;
• vaccinating employees, where appropriate.

As a guide, the types of jobs that may lead to employees contracting infections are:

• refuse collector;
• environmental health officer;
• dog warden;
• sewer worker;
• pest control operative;
• cemetery worker;
• gardener/handyperson;
• residential care staff;
• home carer;
• litter picker;
• clinical waste operative;
• construction worker;
• toilet attendant.