Health Surveillance for Heads/ Directors/Line managers/Risk assessors -What you need to know

Health Surveillance

• The University has a Health Surveillance policy.• http://staff.napier.ac.uk/services/hr/healthandsafety/policies/

Documents/health-surveillance-policy-2013.pdf• Health surveillance is a monitoring tool, which evaluates 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.

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.

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

•More detail is available in the policy.

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

Health Surveillance – when do we test?

• Baseline assessment– An initial assessment is conducted when a new member of staff

starts in a role requiring HS.• Periodic assessment throughout employment:

– Annually for the first 2 years, then as appropriate: – 3 yearly for hearing– Yearly for lung function/skin assessment– Yearly for HAVS

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

The starting point of any health surveillance is the risk assessment.

Trained risk assessors for your department will complete this.

Each year we request that a Health Surveillance risk assessment form is completed for each department.

The risk assessor should discuss this with the Head of School/ Director of Service who is responsible and accountable for the Health Surveillance that is required within the area and for whom, as identified in the risk assessment.

Once this has been completed all hazards and health hazards in the workplace should have been identified.

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

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 us 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.

Health Surveillance Procedure Flowchart:     Health Surveillance Flowchart

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

Step 1 - Find out what the hazards are. These could include

•Climbing•Working in confined spaces•Vocational driving.•Working with chemicals•Working with biological agents•Working with skin irritants/sensitisers•Working with dangerous machinery•Exposure to hazards to unborn child/pregnancy•Exposure to night/shift work•Working with dust or fumes •Lifting or carrying heavy items (manual handling)•Handling food•Computer work/Display Screen Equipment•Prolonged sitting•Occasional overseas travel•Outside work•Noise hazard area•Diving

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

Step 1 - Find out what the hazards are:

To ensure specific hazards and risks are screened as effectively as possible, it is necessary to complete additional checks for certain roles. •Working in safety critical environments, confined spaces, at heights and/or vocational driving •Safety critical tasks will include those where if sudden incapacity developed it could put either the employee, co-workers or members of the general public at risk:

Working at heights

Working with certain machinery

Working with live electricity

Working over open water

Working alone

Vocational driving (see below)

This also includes those working in confined spaces such as tanks, kilns, underground etc.

Vocational driving includes driving a motor cycle, car, lorry, passenger carrying vehicle, fork lift truck, train or automated manual handling equipment for work.

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

Step 1 - Find out what the hazards are:

•Laboratory workers and those working with skin sensitizers

– Where an individual will be working in a laboratory environment where they will be in contact with chemicals, biological agents and/or animals or undertaking research which may include lab work.

– Anyone working with skin sensitizers as part of their role, they should also complete this questionnaire.

– Additional questions may be needed and this requirement will be driven by the risk assessment.

•Night workers

– A night-worker is defined as one who regularly works for at least 3 hours between the hours of 2300-0600.

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

Step 2. Identify who might be at risk from exposure to these hazards and how?

Job Role – for example (including those in management and supervisory positions)•Security•Logistics•Cleaning•Technical •Maintenance•Lecturer•PhD Students•Groundsmen•Researcher•Catering

.

Health Surveillance – what do we test?

HEALTH SURVEILLANCE

Standard

•Respiratory

•Audiometry

•Skin

•HAVS

Specialised

•Asbestos

•Lead

•Ionising radiation

Health Surveillance – what do we test?•Respiratory (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

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

Health Surveillance – what do we test?• FITNESS FOR WORK

• Task Specific Roles

– Food handling

– Night Worker

– "Breathing Apparatus”

– "Confined Spaces"

– Cold Storage

– Hand Arm Vibration

– Manual Handling

• Safety Critical

– Work at Heights

– Operating Machinery

– Driver

Health Surveillance – why do we test?

•Provide a baseline for future tests to be compared against

•Will show if the control measures put in place are working effectively

•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.

Health Surveillance – What will happen?

• The Head of School/ Director of Service is asked to complete the Annual Health Surveillance form

• The risk assessor/s from each department should highlight to the Head of School/ Director of Service who requires Health Surveillance and which tests are required

• The Head of School/ Director of Service is responsible and accountable for ensuring Health Surveillance is carried out for relevant staff in their area.

• A nominated person in the area will be contacted by OH/HR to arrange suitable date/ location for tests

• Individual employees will be notified that they will require health surveillance and be given an appointment time

• The individual is advised of the outcome of the test, including whether they are fit, or need a further referral to OHP, or their GP.

• A summary report is produced and sent to HR&D outlining if the person is fit/ unfit or needs a further referral.

• If required a management referral will be conducted and the line manager will be provided with additional information / actions.

• The Head of School/ Director of Service will be advised when the HS for their area has been completed and any actions required.

Health Surveillance

Any questions?