Healthwise

Health Surveillance Study

Funded by: Alcoa of Australia Limited

Alcoa worker at Wagerup near a water towerHealthwise is an important set of research studies examining the links between work and health in employees of Alcoa of Australia Limited, Portland Aluminium and Alcoa Australia Rolled Products (Point Henry). This includes employees who have ever worked in areas such as the bauxite mines, alumina refineries, aluminium smelters, power stations, rolling mills or shipping terminals to identify if any type of work affects long term health.

The findings are relevant for both former and current Alcoa employees as they examine any long-term effects associated with working at Alcoa’s locations, including those that have since been closed.

Healthwise was initiated by Alcoa and has been run by independent medical researchers at Monash University and the University of Western Australia for over 20 years. The study is one of the longest, largest and most comprehensive occupational health studies in Australia.

Results and progress of this study are reported to an Advisory Board consisting of representatives from Alcoa, the major unions and independent scientific advisors. These results are then communicated to Alcoa management at each site and the workforce, and any issues raised regarding adverse health outcomes for particular types of work addressed to protect the health of employees.

Healthwise comprises a Cross-sectional Study of Respiratory Health, an Inception Cohort Study and
Cancer Incidence and Mortality Cohort Study.

View all Healthwise publications.

The results of the fourth linkage for the Healthwise Cancer and Mortality Study have been released in February 2021. These results are summarised in the Healthwise newsletters for Victoria and Western Australia.

For further information, study staff can be contacted on:

Email: hwise@monash.edu
Freecall: 1800 062 534

Chief Investigators

  • Professor Malcolm Sim (Monash University)
  • Professor Bill Musk (University of Western Australia)
  • Professor Lin Fritschi (Curtin University)
  • Professor Nick de Klerk (University of Western Australia)