Occupational Health Tests – Wichita, KS

Wichita occupational health rules and mandates benefit both employers and their employees. Adhering to all applicable rules helps protect employers from liability. Creating a safe and healthy work environment also improves employee morale. Employers who follow workplace health guidelines may also notice that their employees call in sick less often and that they have fewer workers' compensation claims.

Wichita occupational health services are provided through the Kansas Department of Labor. These services are designed to help employers adhere to occupational health laws and include free resources to assist private sector employers with learning about potential worksite hazards and how to improve their health and safety management practices.

Wichita workplace health mandates also benefit employees by helping them avoid accidental injuries on the job and manage health risks caused by unsafe working conditions. Understanding occupational safety rules can also help prevent employees from unintentionally creating workplace hazards for themselves and their coworkers. In addition, knowing how to report violations can help ensure they're corrected before someone is hurt or killed.

Many Wichita occupational health rules are specifically designed to protect workers performing high-risk jobs. For example, as part of the application process, the city of Wichita requires a Police Applicant Physical Fitness Test for all candidates for the police force. In addition, after a conditional offer for employment is made, candidates must submit to a medical physical and a psychological examination.

Similarly, recruits for the Wichita Fire Department must also pass a pre-employment physical, including a drug screening. In addition, all corrections workers in the state of Kansas must submit to a pre-employment physical examination, including a TB screening and a drug test.

The state of Kansas also requires all school district employees who regularly come into contact with students to submit a certificate of health stating that they don't have any physical conditions that could cause harm to students and that they are free from Tuberculosis.

In addition to these long-standing occupational health guidelines, the state also recently addressed workplace occupational health concerns surrounding COVID-19 vaccinations. This led to the passing of House Bill 2001 on November 22, 2021.

This new law requires employers who require COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment to exempt "without punitive action," any employee who submits a written waiver request stating that compliance would either endanger their life or health or violate sincerely held religious beliefs. This bill also created a process for dealing with complaints of noncompliance, including an investigation, enforcement actions, and civil penalties.