Health surveillance is a system of ongoing health checks. These health checks may be required by law for employees who are exposed to noise or vibration, ionising radiation, solvents, fumes, dusts, biological agents and other substances hazardous to health, or work in compressed air. Health surveillance is collecting and using information about workers ‘health, related to the substances they use. It helps prevent asthma developing by detecting the early signs. An employer should consider using higher-level health surveillance first.  Health surveillance is never an alternative to the proper control of exposure. It is not the same as health screening or health promotion. Rather than routinely testing all employees each year for everything, each employee can be tested as necessary at one appointment and a fit for work certificate issued covering all tasks undertaken by the employee. This avoids the disruption to the business of one employee having several tests done throughout the year.

Below is a list of some of the health surveillance tests that we can do. This list is not exhaustive.

At St Joseph’s Occupational Health, we can devise a health surveillance programme for people who are exposed to noise as per Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Ideally, we recommend a baseline i.e. for new starters or those changing jobs. It can, however, be introduced at any time for employees already exposed to noise. This would be followed by a regular series of checks, usually annually for the first two years of employment and then at three-yearly intervals (although this may need to be more frequent if any problem with hearing is detected or where the risk of hearing damage is high). The hearing checks need to be carried out by someone who has the appropriate training. The whole health surveillance programme needs to be under the control of an occupational health professional  company must provide health surveillance (hearing checks) for all employees who are likely to be regularly exposed above the upper exposure action values, or are at risk for any reason, e.g. they already suffer from hearing loss or are particularly sensitive to damage. We can arrange to visit your site to undertake the testing of your employees to eliminate unnecessary disruption to your business, caused by employees leaving site for testing. The test involves completion of a questionnaire, examination of the ears and audiometric screening test. This should take no longer than 30 minutes per employee.

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) an employer has to ensure that correct control measures are in place if they use any of the following; isocyanates, flour and grain dust, glutaraldehyde, wood dust, latex, solder, glues and resins, laboratory animals. All of these can cause occupational asthma. At St Joseph’s Occupational health department, we can help you assess workers' respiratory health before they start a relevant job to provide a baseline.  Introduce regular testing yearly, or as advised by our team who will interpret the results and identify any need to revise the risk assessment. The test involves completion of a specific questionnaire and a lung function assessment. This should take no longer that 30 minutes per employee.

Many jobs involve the use of chemicals that can be harmful to health if not properly controlled. For some chemical biological monitoring can be used to indicate how good control is and how much of the chemical has entered the body. It is a way of assessing exposure and health risks, and involves measuring the amount of chemical or its breakdown in either blood, urine or breath. Our occupational health specialist team can advise you on the tests required.

The HSE Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 advise that health surveillance is carried out on employees who use vibration equipment. In the case of hand-arm vibration, one of the specific aims is to prevent employees developing an advanced stage of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) associated with disabling loss of hand function. It is possible that your employees who are exposed to vibration may have mild symptoms of HAVS. If they are not aware that they have the disease, health surveillance can help them to recognise that the first symptoms of HAVS have started to develop. Employees whose hands are regularly exposed to vibration may suffer from damage to the tissues of hands and arms, which causes the symptoms collectively known as HAVS. These symptoms include: numbness and tingling in the fingers, and a reduced sense of touch and temperature, due to damage to nerves in the hand. This damage can make it difficult to feel, and to work with, small objects. The test involves initial baseline questionnaire Tier 1, followed by annual questionnaire Tier 2. Anyone declaring symptoms will be reviewed by specialist OH nurse or physician who is trained in Tier 3 testing. Its recommended as best practice that Tier 3 testing is done on a 3-yearly basis in order to detect any underlying symptoms early. Tier 4 testing is done by specialist Occupational Health Physician.

The HSE Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 set minimum standards for the protection of employees from risks related to exposure to asbestos. Employers should also take account of people not directly employed by them but who could be affected by the work being done on asbestos including employees of other employers, people occupying buildings, members of the public. These medicals are done every 2 years by a HSE appointed physician. At St Joseph’s Occupational Health department, we can provide appointed Drs. The examination includes health questionnaire, lung function test and may require a chest X ray.

The main legal requirements enforced by HSE are the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17). ... IRR17 requires employers to keep exposure to ionising radiations as low as reasonably practicable. Exposures must not exceed specified dose limits. Under IRR, only classified persons require medical surveillance.  Classified persons are defined as those exposed workers likely to receive an effective dose of radiation greater than 6 mSv per year or an equivalent dose greater than 15 mSv per year for the lens of the eye or greater than 150 mSv per year for the skin and extremities. The examination should be done by a HSE appointed physician. At St Joseph’s Occupational Health department, we have associated specialist appointed physicians.

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 employers must ensure correct control measures are in place if they have workers using substances or preparations carrying the very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant symbol. Skin surveillance consists of regular skin checks of employees using such substances. This comprises of annual questionnaires and visual inspection if required.