Health supervision is the procedure required by law in certain industries and workplaces, where after all risks are taken into account and measures are taken to reduce them, employees still have a significant risk in carrying out their work. In fact, it is an ongoing health check system designed to prevent and identify any potential problems in the early stages.
It is anticipated that any health monitoring should be based on a risk assessment and should be the last measure to monitor and prevent work-related illnesses. It should not be confused or used as a substitute for risk assessment or other safety measures and actions aimed at reducing risks in the workplace. It is also very useful for providing information on the additional training needed, introducing new work procedures that will reduce costs, allowing employees to express their concern about the health effects of their work, etc.
As a general rule, health monitoring is required in cases where there is a risk of noise or vibration, solvents, vapors, dust, biological agents, asbestos, lead or work in compressed air, ionizing radiation. Officials working in the chemical, construction, manufacturing, agricultural, mining, and offshore or any other industry that uses particularly harmful materials should consider conducting additional health checks. If you are not sure if this applies to your business, seek qualified advice.
In any case, there are three basic legal requirements, and in cases where three of them are met, health monitoring must be introduced:
Number one; there is an identifiable disease, and there is strong evidence that it is associated with exposure in the workplace.
Number two; there is the possibility of a disease.
Number Three; The methods used to determine the first two points are valid and do not represent a danger to employees. Your risk assessment will give you advice on what type of medical supervision is appropriate for your business.
The first and easiest measure would be for employees to check for signs or symptoms of ill health, obviously after they have been given adequate training for specific diseases. Depending on the risk assessment and the type of risk, the responsible person (employee, supervisor or first assistant, always someone with basic training who knows what symptoms to look for) can perform routine employee checks. In workplaces with a higher risk of disease, a more competent person, such as a nurse or an occupational health doctor, should perform periodic examinations
Summary
It is important to know when and what type of medical supervision is required, and if necessary, for your type of work. There are many situations in which companies are too subordinate. Excessive costs are not the purpose of these rules, therefore, it is extremely important to conduct a good risk assessment and obtain information about the requirements for your field of activity.