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.

In March 2013, the HSE launched new online guidelines on health surveillance. It says that the clear and simple guidance makes it easier for employers to decide whether their workers need health surveillance, how to go about it and how to use the results. It also makes it clearer when action is not needed.

This sets out that 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.