Health Surveillance
What is Health Surveillance?
Employers are legally required to provide health surveillance when a risk assessment identifies potential health risks to employees. This obligation is set out in Section 22 of the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005.
Health surveillance involves regular and systematic checks to monitor employees’ health in relation to workplace risks.
When is Health Surveillance Required?
Participation in health surveillance may be mandatory depending on statutory requirements, industry standards, or specific company contracts.
Employers must determine the need for health surveillance through local risk assessments, with input from competent persons.
Certain health records must be retained for specific periods as per legal requirements. More details are available in OccDoc’s Privacy Notice.
Why is Health Surveillance Important?
Health surveillance helps to:
- Detect early signs of work-related health issues, allowing employers to improve control measures.
- Give employees a chance to report health concerns related to their work.
- Reinforce workplace training and education.
- Provide anonymized data for evaluating health risks.
- Identify weaknesses in workplace safety controls, prompting risk assessment reviews.
Example : Hearing Conservation Health Surveillance
Regulation 131 of Chapter 1 of Part 5 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007) requires the employer to make available to employees (whose exposure exceeds an upper exposure action value [85dB(A)) a ‘hearing check’ ; and for employees (whose exposure exceeds a lower exposure action value [80 dB(A)]) ‘a preventive audiometric testing’.
The purpose of this health surveillance is to primarily identify possible early Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). An appropriate noise survey & risk assessment carried out by a competent person will inform of areas & employee affected by noise.
The Hearing conservation health surveillance generally involves:
- Questionnaire reviewed by a clinician
- Screening Audiometry test reviewed by a clinician
- Medical assessment (Depending on whether it is a ‘Hearing Check’ or ‘Preventative
- Audiometric testing’)
- Issuance of Fitness certificate including recommendations & follow up interval
Setting up a Health Surveillance Programme
The usual approach involved in setting up a Health Surveillance Programme by OccDoc Ltd, includes the following:
- Document review of up to date risk assessments, occupational hygiene reports & other relevant documents.
- Discussion with relevant stakeholders such as EHS, regarding the Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs) classification
- Plant inspection/ Worksite Visit
- Review specific testing/medical data collection requirements for the respective SEGs, and its concordance with pre-placement/Exit Medical/Periodic Fitness for work requirements.
- Review that local arrangements are in keeping with any OH standards set by your company’s global requirements.
- A summary document with recommendations will be issued to you for final approval. It is recommended that you discuss and agree with all relevant stakeholders at your company
- Webinar to introduce health surveillance programme to your employees and other stakeholders.
- Invitation to enrol in Health surveillance programme.
- Health Surveillance Programme Delivery: This programme involves regular health checks to detect early signs of work-related ill health. The aim is to protect workers’ health and ensure the effectiveness of safety measures.