Contact Avonova
Phone number: 48 08 08 08
Email: kundesenter@avonova.no
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 08:00 - 15:30
Visitor address Kristiansand: Barstølveien 34
Visitor address Arendal: Stoavaeien 9, Entrance B – 2. floor
Contact at UiA
- janne.ommundsen@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 25 17
UiA has a collaboration agreement with Avonova Occupational Health Service.
The occupational health service has an independent and impartial role in work environment issues and can provide employer or employees with advice and guidance.
All employees can contact Avonova for advice.
Who can book an appointment?
Your HSE manager, or the person holding booking authorisation, can order services from the occupational health service on your behalf.
The exception is consultation appointments, which employees can book themselves (Tel: 48 08 08 08, E-mail: kundesenter@avonova.no)
UiA offers employees the opportunity to use up to three consultation appointments with the occupational health service during a calendar year. These consultation appointments are confidential, and UiA does not receive information about who has used such appointments or any other personal data.
When ordering services (apart from counselling sessions), an order number must be provided, which is obtained through UiA's ordering system ServiceNow.
Services
Workplace assessment
A workplace assessment is a general assessment of the physical conditions of one or more employees’ workplace. This assessment must be carried out by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist from the occupational health service. The purpose of a workplace assessment is to optimise the working conditions to prevent injuries and sick-leave.
When is it used?
Workplace assessment is covered by the faculty/department health and safety budget and is used in cases where employees may have to go on, or have been on, sick leave due to the ergonomic design of the workplace.
Workplace assessments are not required by law, but it is recommended to carry this out when employees request it, or when a need is identified during safety inspections or during a conversation with the manager. Following the assessment, a report is sent to the employee, the person booking the assessment, and a partial report is sent to the Division of Finance and Campus Management in cases where purchase of ergonomic equipment is required.
The individual HSE manager can purchase ergonomic equipment if needed, but this does not replace workplace assessments.
Physical therapy assessment
Medco dinHMS does not provide physical therapy treatment for UiA employees. However, they can assist with a physical assessment, offer guidance, advice, and recommendations for further treatment. It is the manager who can order a physical assessment from the occupational health service. Beyond this, public healthcare services should be utilised.
Physiotherapists with Municipal Operating Agreements – Kristiansand
The municipality has operating agreements with 62 self-employed physiotherapists.
You can contact the physical therapy clinics directly to book an appointment. A portion of the treatment cost is covered by the National Insurance Scheme.
At physiotherapists with an operating agreement, you pay a co-payment until you may qualify for a healthcare exemption card.
For more information about the scheme, see here: User fees for physiotherapy
Physiotherapists in Kristiansand
An overview of Kristiansand municipality's physiotherapists with operating agreements (in Norwegian)
Physiotherapists in Grimstad
All physiotherapists listed on the municipality's website (in Norwegian) have operating agreements and therefore receive reimbursement from HELFO. HELFO provides partial or full support for expenses related to examinations and treatment.
Health checks
In the case of certain types of work where there are particular health risks, UiA has a duty to ensure that employees receive medical examinations. For some other types of work, employer is required to offer medical examinations to employees.
Work at UiA that requires a special health check:
- work involving noise exposure (hearing test)
- work with biological agents
- work with hazardous chemicals
- exposure to ionising radiation
- exposure to electromagnetic fields that exceed the exposure limit values
- exposure to artificial optical radiation that can pose a risk to the eyes or skin of employees
UiA must offer employees health checks if they:
- work at a computer screen (sight test)
- do work involving exposure to mechanical vibrations
- do work that is performed mainly at night
Assessment consultation
Employees and managers at UiA can contact the occupational health service if they need an assessment consultation.
Such a consultation can cover one or more areas related to the work environment for individual employees or groups of employees, including:
- Questions about the work environment, rights, and responsibilities
- Leadership guidance
- Information and training on health, environment, and safety
- Assessment of workplace conflicts, violence, emotional labor, and psychological stressors.
Individual counselling sessions
As an employee, you are entitled to up to 3 counselling sessions with the occupational health service during a calendar year. These sessions must be linked to occupational/psychosocial conditions, are confidential, and UiA does not receive information about who has used them or any other personal data.
Any more than 3 sessions must be approved by your HSE manager.
Contact the occupational health service by email or phone to book counselling.
- Email: kundesenter@avonova.no
- Phone number: 48 08 08 08
The sessions are pre-approved and charged to the Division of Human Resources at UiA.
Courses offered
The occupational health service can provide customised courses and offer follow-up at both individual and group level
Examples of courses are:
- Health and safety course for safety representatives and managers with health and safety responsibilities
- Workplace assessment, ergonomics and risk management
- Courses in stress management
- Improving sleep
- Reducing and preventing sickness absence
Occupational vaccination
Vaccination against hepatitis A and B viruses and tetanus
Employees at UiA who may be exposed to blood-borne infections should be offered a hepatitis B vaccine. For some employees, hepatitis A vaccine is also recommended. Employees who work outside in nature or work with animals should be offered a tetanus vaccine. When travelling abroad, other vaccines may also be necessary. You can get hepatitis A and B, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines by contacting the occupational health service.
TBE tick vaccine
TBE vaccination is offered to employees who conduct fieldwork outdoors in high-risk areas, ranging from Flekkefjord to Drammen. It is recommended that vaccination begins in late winter, well before the tick season starts in April.
The vaccination schedule includes 2 or 3 doses, depending on age and immune status. For individuals who continue to require protection, a booster dose is recommended after 3 years, followed by subsequent boosters every 3 or 5 years, depending on age.
Travel vaccinations
Employees who travel or undertake fieldwork abroad may need vaccines. If you need travel vaccinations, contact the occupational health service.
We want to point out that some vaccines need to be given well in advance of departure.