1. Introduction

First Choice Occupational and Mobile Health (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the personal and medical information entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you utilize our occupational health services, mobile health clinics, and website.

By using our services, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

To provide comprehensive occupational health and medical surveillance services, we collect two primary categories of information:

A. Personal Information

• • Identifiers: Full name, ID or passport number, date of birth, gender, and nationality.

• • Contact Details: Email address, phone number, physical address, and emergency contact details.

• • Employment Information: Company name, job title, employee number, and work department/location.

B. Special Personal Information (Medical & Health Data)

As an occupational health provider, we collect and process highly sensitive health data, including:

• • Medical history, lifestyle questionnaires, and current medications.

• • Physical examination results (e.g., vision tests, lung function tests, audiograms, ECGs).

• • Biological monitoring and laboratory test results.

• • Certificates of Fitness (COF) and occupational injuries/disease records.

3. How We Collect Your Information

We collect information through various touchpoints:

• • Directly from You: When you complete medical history questionnaires, undergo physical exams, or contact us via our website or email.

• • From Your Employer: Your employer may provide your basic identifiers and job-exposure profiles to schedule mandatory statutory medical surveillance.

• • Automated Technologies: When you visit our website, standard log data and cookies may collect basic browser information (IP address, browser type, time spent on pages) to improve user experience.

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal and medical data strictly for the following purposes:

• • Service Delivery: To conduct medical surveillance, mobile health screenings, and issue Certificates of Fitness.

• • Statutory Compliance: To fulfill legal obligations under occupational health and safety legislation (e.g., the Occupational Health and Safety Act and COIDA).

• • Reporting: To provide your employer with generalized health trends, risk assessments, or mandatory fitness-for-duty certifications (individual clinical details are kept confidential as per medical ethics).

• • Communication: To respond to inquiries, manage appointments, or send vital health updates.

5. Medical Confidentiality & Information Sharing

We adhere to strict ethical and legal medical confidentiality rules. Your clinical records are never sold, rented, or traded. Information is only shared under the following conditions:

• • To Your Employer: Your employer will receive your Certificate of Fitness (stating whether you are fit, fit with restrictions, or temporarily unfit for duty). Detailed medical diagnoses or test results will not be shared with your employer without your explicit written consent, unless required by law.

• • To Third-Party Service Providers: We may share data with trusted laboratories or specialized medical practitioners who assist us in processing tests, under strict confidentiality agreements.

• • As Required by Law: We will disclose information if legally compelled by a court order, subpoena, or statutory health authority reporting requirement.

6. Data Security and Storage

We implement robust technical and organizational security measures to protect your sensitive data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse:

• • Digital Security: Encrypted databases, secure servers, firewalls, and restricted user-access controls.

• • Physical Security: Locked filing cabinets for paper records within secure mobile units and stationary clinics.

• • Retention Periods: In accordance with statutory occupational health regulations, certain medical surveillance records must be securely stored for extended periods (up to 40 years for specific workplace exposures). Once the legal retention period expires, records are securely destroyed or anonymized.

7. Your Legal Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction (such as under POPIA), you hold specific rights regarding your data:

• • Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal and medical information we hold about you.

• • Right to Correction: You can request that we update or correct inaccurate or incomplete data.

• • Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your data, though this may impact your ability to fulfill your employer’s statutory medical requirements.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party platforms. We encourage you to read their privacy policies upon visiting them.

9. Contact Us & Information Officer

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or need to lodge a query, please contact our Compliance/Information Officer at:

• • First Choice Occupational and Mobile Health

• • Email: admin@firstchoice-occhealth.co.za