Health Surveillance What you need to know

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Health SurveillanceWhat you need to know
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Health Surveillance

• The University has a Health Surveillance policy.
• http//staff.napier.ac.uk/services/hr/healthandsaf
  ety/policies/Documents/health-surveillance-policy-
  2013.pdf
• Health surveillance is a monitoring tool, which
  checks out the effectiveness of health and safety
  control measures by detecting the early signs of
  work related ill health amongst staff who are
  exposed to certain types of risks.
• Where health surveillance has been identified as
  being required then you must comply with the
  policy.

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Health SurveillanceThe objectives

• The objectives of health surveillance are
• a) Protect the health of individuals by detecting
  as early as possible diseases or adverse health
  effects which may be work-related e.g. exposure
  to hazardous substances, including biological
  agents, and physical agents.
• b) Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of
  existing risk management measures and identify
  where any further action may be necessary.
• c) Obtain, use, keep up to date and retain data
  and information for determining and evaluating
  risks to health, including on commencement and
  following cessation of employment.

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Health SurveillanceThe law

• Management of Health and Safety at Work
  Regulations 1999
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
  Regulations 2002
• The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
• The Control of vibration at Work Regulations 2005

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Health SurveillanceHow does it work - When is
health surveillance required?
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Health SurveillanceHow does it work - When is
health surveillance required?

• The starting point of any health surveillance is
  the risk assessment. This is completed by trained
  risk assessors in each department. Once this has
  been completed all hazards and health hazards in
  the workplace should be identified. The following
  steps are important prior to any health
  surveillance being carried out
• 1. find out what the hazards are
• 2. identify who might be at risk from exposure to
  these hazards and how
• 3. decide what to do to prevent harm to health
  e.g. remove the hazard altogether reduce risks
  by changing the way work is done or use other
  controls provide protective equipment.
• If the above steps have been completed and risks
  still remain the University will need to take
  further steps to protect you.

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Health Surveillance when do we test?

• When initially employed in an area requiring HS.
• Periodic assessment
• Annually for the first 2 years, then as
  appropriate
• 3 yearly for hearing
• Yearly for lung function/skin assessment
• Yearly for HAVS

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Health Surveillance what do we test?

• Spirometry (lung function)
• makes sure that your breathing is not being
  affected by work, or exposure to dust, chemicals
  or fumes
• For substances identified as respiratory
  sensitizers, irritants or asthmagens e.g.
  laboratory animals, wood dusts, isocynates,
  glutoraldehyde
• Audiometry (hearing test)
• can show if you have any hearing loss due to
  noise, either following exposure at work, or in
  your hobbies. It is also a way of measuring if
  your hearing protection is working properly, and
  being worn according to the manufacturer
  recommendations.
• e.g. areas where daily personal exposure to noise
  exceeds 85dB

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Health Surveillance what do we test?

• Skin assessment
• Skin surveillance, accompanies lung function
  testing, as skin can be irritated by similar
  substances
• For substances identified as skin irritants or
  sensitizers e.g. metal working fluids, hard /
  soft woods, laboratory animals, cleaning agents,
  those undertaking frequent hand washing
• Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) assessment
• is a way of finding out if you have an underlying
  medical condition which can be affected by
  working with vibrating tools, or if working with
  vibration is affecting your hands arms, or
  circulation.
• General Medical Surveillance
• e.g. night workers, drivers, food handlers,
  manual handling

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Health Surveillance why do we test?

• Provide a baseline for future tests to be
  compared against
• Will show if the measures put in place to are
  working efficiently
• Show early signs of the effects of work on health
• Allow steps to be taken to prevent further damage
• Your health surveillance is mandatory, and you
  cannot opt out.

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Health Surveillance What will happen?

• The Universitys Occupational Health service will
  conduct the Health Surveillance
• You will be asked to complete a questionnaire
  which will be assessed by the OH Adviser
• Dependent on the tests required (as identified in
  the risk assessment) in addition you may be
  asked to
• - Measure your height , weight and blood
  pressure, pulse
• - Spirometry (lung function) breath into
  a piece of equipment ( puff test)
• - Audiometry undergo a hearing test, and
  a visual check of ears
• - Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)
  assessment
• - Sight checks near/ distance and colour
  blindness
• - Urine tests safety critical, working in
  confined spaces, at heights, drivers.

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Health Surveillance What happens next?

• The results of your health surveillance will be
  explained to you on the day of the appointment.
  You will be informed on the if no further action
  is required and you are fit to work.
• These results are kept, confidentially by the
  Occupational Health Provider for 40 years.
• Your Director of Service/Head of School will
  receive a summary report only which will confirm
  that you are either fit to work or that further
  investigation is required.
• If any of your test results require further
  investigation, either by your GP or by OH, you
  will be informed and follow-up will be arranged
  as appropriate.
• If you are given test results to hand into your
  GP, it is your responsibility to do this.

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Health Surveillance

• Any questions?