JSP 375 Vol 2 

MoD Health & Safety Handbook 

5.2 

Solvents, fumes, dusts, biological agents and other substances hazardous to health.  If so, 

health surveillance may be needed under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 

Regulations ; 

5.3 

Asbestos, lead or work in compressed air.  If so, medical examinations may be needed 

under specific regulations;  

5.4 

Ionising radiations or diving.  If so, fitness for work medical checks may be needed under 

specific regulations on these.  

6 

Guidance on the legal requirements is contained in the relevant Leaflets and their annexes. 

7 

For exposure to some other health risks such as manual handling, work related upper limb 

disorders, work that might give rise to stress related diseases and symptoms from whole body vibration, 

there are no specific legal requirements for health surveillance.  This is mainly because valid ways to 

detect ill health do not exist yet and/or the link between work and the ill health condition is uncertain.  In 

these cases, use other methods to monitor the health of employees exposed to these risks, such as 

encouraging symptom reporting and checking sickness records.  

What s the value?  

8 

Health surveillance provides you with information which helps you to protect employees from 

illness caused by being exposed to health risks at work. This information may be either confirmation of 

the absence of health effects from the work undertaken or the early detection of ill health. It enables you 

to manage these risks effectively by acting as a check on:  

8.1 

How your control measures to protect the health of employees are working; and  

8.2 

Helping to pinpoint where you need to take further steps.  

9 

It also provides a valuable opportunity for feedback from employees and a chance to reinforce your 

health and safety messages to them. Remember, health effects resulting from work processes are a 

sign that there is insufficient control of exposure of the individual and therefore symptomatic of failure. 

How is it carried out and who can do it?  

10  In its simplest form, health surveillance involves employees checking themselves for signs or 

symptoms of ill health.  But these self checks can only be carried out where they are part of wider health 

surveillance programme. They will only work where employees have been properly trained on what to 

look for and know to whom to report symptoms.  An example would be employees noticing soreness, 

redness and itching on their hands and arms, where they work with substances that can irritate or 

damage the skin. A responsible person can be trained to make basic checks such as skin inspections 

for signs of rashes and could, for example, be a supervisor, employee representative or first aider.  For 

slightly more complicated assessments, an occupational health nurse can ask about symptoms or carry 

out an examination.  For certain hazards, clinical examinations may need to be carried out by a doctor, 

preferably one trained in occupational medicine. 

11  Three important points to remember are that: 

11.1 You must keep health records of the health surveillance carried out. (See Leaflet 

55

, 

Retention of Records).; 

11.2 

People must be competent to undertake health surveillance techniques; 

11.3 

Health surveillance will only work if you act on the results   it should be clear how and 

when people should be referred for further examination and how the results will be used to improve 

how you manage health risks.  

Leaflet 5 Annex J 

Page 2 

 April 

2003