Health surveillance

Regulation 6 of the Management Regulations requires employers to monitor the health of employees if the risk assessment shows this to be necessary.

HSE online guidelines provide guidance for employers to help them decide whether their workers need health surveillance, how to go about it and how to use the results. They also make clear when action is not needed.

Health surveillance is required if all the following criteria are met:

• there is an identifiable disease/adverse health effect and evidence of a link with workplace exposure;

• it is likely the disease/health effect may occur;

• there are valid techniques for detecting early signs of the disease/health effect; and

• these techniques do not pose a risk to employees.

The online guidance replaced Health Surveillance at Work (HSG61) and can be found online at: www.hse.gov.uk/health-surveillance