In the year 2024 – 25 HSE will be targeting health/medical surveillance.
Where health surveillance or medical surveillance is required, inspectors will examine the management arrangements for sustainable compliance with relevant legislation.
Health surveillance is appropriate where:
An identifiable disease or health effect may be linked to the exposure at work;
There have been previous cases of work related ill health in the workforce/workplace
There is reliance on PPE e.g., glover or respirators, as an exposure control measure
Employees are wearing respirators to prevent asthma.
There is evidence of ill health in jobs within the industry.
There are valid techniques for detecting signs of the disease or effect; and,
the technique is low risk to workers.
Medical surveillance is a specific form of surveillance required in certain regulations which must be carried out by a doctor appointed by HSE.
The requirements for identifying ill-health through health surveillance are long established in law and guidance, yet HSE routinely find poor compliance across industry.
What is the extent of the problem?
Recent ill-health data highlights Statistics – Work-related ill health and occupational disease (hse.gov.uk):
• Occupational Asthma / Silicosis – there are currently an estimated 19,000 annual new cases of self-reported ‘breathing or lung problems’ caused or made worse by work.
• Occupational dermatitis – there were an estimated 7,000 new cases of self[1]reported ‘skin problems’ on average each year over the five years 2018/19- 2022/23.
• Lead exposure- in 2021/22 there were 4438 lead workers and 22 were suspended from work due to excessive blood lead levels.
• Noise induced hearing loss – estimated 11,000 cases of hearing problems each year caused or made worse by work over the last three years (2020/21 – 2022/23).
• Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome / Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – there were 300 new cases of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome and 150 cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in 2022.
For further information contact ohteam@hawkeshealth.com