Step Up Your Health Game: Essential Health Surveillance Services for Kent Employers

In Kent’s busy industrial environment, keeping workers healthy is essential and often a legal requirement for many businesses. The Health & Safety Executive release news of fines and safety breaches for Kent-based companies all too often, but these are avoidable with the right measures in place to protect employee health. 

Why Health Surveillance? 

Health surveillance is a preventive measure, designed to detect early signs of work-related ill health. This system allows for prompt identification of potential health risks, ensuring that both employees and employers are protected. Common hazards requiring health surveillance include noise, dust, chemicals, and vibration, all of which are prevalent in sectors such as manufacturing, woodworking, metalworking, construction, engineering, and transport. 

Who Needs Health Surveillance? 

Health surveillance does what it says on the tin – it means looking at the health of an employee over a period of time, but in the context of their work. 

In certain environments, health surveillance is a statutory requirement and the HSE will expect it to be carried out routinely. In other circumstances, it is advisable under your duty of care even if it is not required by law. 

Whether or not you need a health surveillance programme depends on the nature of your business and the risk to employees. It is part of the health and safety process and is usually necessary when employees are exposed to risks which are not able to be removed completely and could affect their health. 

It’s common in: 

• Manufacturing and Engineering: Where workers are often exposed to noisy machinery and chemicals. 
• Woodworking and Metalworking: These sectors involve exposure to dust and chemicals, requiring regular lung function assessments and skin checks. 
• Construction and Demolition: Involving risks from noise, vibration, and handling hazardous materials. 
• Road Workers and Transport: Where employees are exposed to elements such as noise and exhaust fumes.

Example Scenario of Health Surveillance in Action 

Following routine health surveillance, it’s noted that  employees working in an area with noisy machines have early signs of hearing impairment. Occupational health report this to you and recommend further investigation into existing noise control measures.  

You review the machinery and find it is in good working order but investigate whether quieter options are available. While you already supply ear protection, you decide to upgrade to high-quality, noise-cancelling ear defenders and make their use mandatory. You introduce rotational shifts to limit the amount of time employees are exposed to harmful noise levels and provide additional training to educate employees about noise risks and using PPE.  

Employees respond well to the new measures, feeling that their health is a priority to the company, and follow up health surveillance shows a marked improvement, demonstrating that the new measures have stopped further hearing deterioration. Your pro-active approach not only safeguarded employee health but also demonstrated a commitment to maintaining a safe working environment.

Health Surveillance Services in Kent 

All Health Matters provides flexible, on-site health surveillance solutions, ensuring minimal disruption to your day-to-day operations. For businesses without suitable space, our mobile health screening unit offers a convenient alternative, equipped to conduct comprehensive assessments right at your doorstep. 

The Process 

Our health surveillance assessments include: 

• Audiometry (Hearing tests) 
• Spirometry (Lung function tests) 
• Dermatological (Skin checks) 
• Musculoskeletal evaluations 
• Vision screenings, and more. 

Each assessment is tailored to the specific hazards your employees face, based on thorough risk assessments. 

Timely & Straightforward Results 

Understanding the urgency of health surveillance, we ensure that most fit notes are released the same day, enabling swift action and peace of mind for employer and employee. The advice on our fit notes is clear, so you know how best to protect your employees’ health. 

Why Choose Us? 

At All Health Matters, we are committed to helping local companies protect their employees’ health with thorough health surveillance services.  

• Our team is wonderful. They are experienced, dedicated and proud of what they do – and they do it with a smile.  
• We strive to deliver a top-class personal service: Clients feel valued and appropriately supported – we always have time to talk.  
• Our systems and processes allow us to respond efficiently and effectively with impressive KPI’s and fast turnarounds.  
• We will help you manage the health and wellbeing of your most important asset – the people who work for you.

Stepping Up Your Health Surveullance Game 

Investing in health surveillance is not just a legal formality; it’s an essential cog in your business’s health and safety strategy. It protects your most valuable asset—your people—while ensuring compliance and enhancing overall productivity.

To learn more about how our tailored health surveillance services can benefit your business in Kent, contact All Health Matters today. Let us help you step up your health game!