What is health surveillance?
Health surveillance is any activity which involves obtaining information about employees’ health and which helps protect employees from health risks at work.
The objectives of health surveillance are:
- To protect the health of employees by early detection of adverse changes or disease
- Collecting data for detecting or evaluating health hazards
- Evaluating control measures
A Health Surveillance assessment is not a general health screening.
When is health surveillance required?
Health surveillance is appropriate when employees are exposed to residual risk of harm from hazardous substances, following all appropriate means of control.
Imperial Health Services undertakes a variety of health surveillance assessments, including:
- Lung Function Testing (Spirometry)
- Hearing Tests (Audiometry – where employees are exposed to noise)
- Skin Surveillance
- HAVS Assessments
- Vision Screening
Health Surveillance can:
- Help to detect ill health effects at an early stage and assist employers to determine if their risk assessments and monitoring are effective
- Provide data to help employers evaluate health risks
- Highlight any concerns regarding the effect of work on health, and health on work both in the short and long term
- Provide an opportunity to reinforce training and education of employees
- Evaluate the impact of health effects and the use of protective equipment
Industries that require Occupational Health Surveillance include:
- Engineering
- Chemical Manufacturing
- Construction
- Demolition
- Finance
- Food industry
- Leisure
- Retail
- Communications
At Imperial Health Services, we carry out Occupational Health Surveillance assessment in variety of industries. Get in touch to book a meeting with our team of healthcare professionals. We operate in the South West and Wales and have a number of clinics for your convenience.