Health surveillance

Health surveillance can be used to detect the early signs of work-related ill health in employees exposed to certain health risks.

Some forms of health surveillance are required by law. Other forms of health surveillance are carried out simply as good practice.

Our health surveillance programmes reduce the impact of ill-health related issues at work, they can:

  • Help you to protect your employees health
  • Help you to comply with the legal requirements for a safe workplace
  • Detect any adverse health effects at an early stage
  • Assist you with evaluating your existing control measures to protect employees
  • Provide useful information to detect hazards and assess risks.

Our health surveillance services include:

  • Display screen equipment use (DSE)
  • Hearing and eye tests (Audiometry)
  • Vibration (HAVS)
  • Respiratory function (Spirometry)
  • Skin surveillance
  • Ionising radiation
  • Pregnant worker assessments
  • Night worker assessments
  • Asbestos or lead exposure

Depending on your requirements, our services can simply involve online questionnaires (supported by our contact centre). We also provide medicals in our own national clinics and at your workplace.

We provide comprehensive management information and reports to make sure any appropriate action is taken to eliminate or control risk.

Health and Safety Executive Statistics
Health and Safety Executive Statistics

 

1.3 million people who worked during the last year were suffering from an illness (long-standing as well as new cases) they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work. 555 000 of these were new conditions which started during the year.

 

A further 0.8 million former workers (who last worked over 12 months ago) were suffering from an illness which was caused or made worse by their past work.

 

28.5 million days were lost overall (1.2 days per worker), 23.4 million due to work-related ill health and 5.1 million due to workplace injury.

“ Health surveillance is any activity which involves obtaining information about employees’ health and which helps protect employees from health risks at work. “ Health and Safety Executive