Health Surveillance
For some types of work, we monitor the health of staff, to meet our legal obligations. The objectives of health surveillance are: -
- Protect the health of individuals by detecting diseases or adverse health effects which may be work-related, e.g. exposure to hazardous substances, including biological agents, and physical agents.
- Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of existing risk management control measures.
- Obtain and retain data and information for determining and evaluating risks to health.
Health Surveillance involves assessments designed to detect health effects from occupational hazards. Some assessments can be carried out by questionnaire. Occupational Health Screening Questionnaire.
Examples of hazards requiring Health Surveillance:
- Substances which can cause asthma
- Substances which can cause dermatitis
- Very noisy workplaces
- Some vibrating tools
New employees and postgraduate research students will be included in health surveillance programmes where their risk assessments indicates residual exposure risk to their health from work/studies.
