Employment Health Screening
Health and Safety employer regulations
Health Screening has become a major prevention tool within the working industry, not only does this allow employers to gain a greater understanding of well being of their staff, but prevents sickness, illness and injuries sustained within the workplace.
Our health screening programmes are designed and delivered by health care professionals with over 100 years of medical experience.
Each health screening programme can be tailor made to your industry, a full risk assessment will be carried out by our specialist health and safety team.
Audiology
High quality workplace hearing tests to help employers achieve compliance with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, which states employers must provide regular hearing checks for all employees who are likely to be frequently exposed to noise levels of 85dB or higher, or for any employee who already suffers from hearing loss or are particularly sensitive to noise damage.
What does it involve?
The occupational audiometric screening process requires attendees to wear a set of headphones through which a series of sounds at differing pitches and volumes are played. They indicate whether they can hear the sound or not, allowing the technician conducting the test to identify any loss in hearing.We will undertake this for you, providing a practical, detailed employer’s report.
Each workplace hearing test takes approximately 15 minutes and is completed in either a noise-reducing audiometry booth or in a quiet room on your site.
We can complete up to 30 hearing assessments per session, each session lasts eight hours, so whether you have shift patterns, work evenings or weekends, we have the flexibility to accommodate your needs.
We complete and detailed screening audiometry reports with every job, giving the client everything they need to manage the issue and comply with the noise regulations.
We recommend annual screening for all employees as testing will capture any new employees and any employees who show reason for concern, and supplies you with a detailed audiology report for each employee year on year.
Spirometry
Occupational spirometry is a screening technique used to detect early damage to lung function resulting from exposure to substances hazardous to health. Identifying any damage as early as possible allows appropriate follow up remedial action in the workplace and any necessary medical referral of the employee.
We offer a high quality occupational spirometry testing service to help employers achieve compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations (2002), which states ‘employees who are, or are likely to be, exposed to a substance hazardous to health, the employer shall ensure that such employees are under suitable health surveillance.’
What does it involve?
The spirometry testing process requires attendees to be weighed, have their height measured, answer a short questionnaire and inhale and exhale multiple times into a spirometer. The exhalation of air from the individual’s lungs will create electronic readings that allow the technician conducting the test to identify any early damage to lung function.
We will undertake this for you, providing a practical, detailed employer’s report, summarising the data and offering practical recommendations to you, the employer.
Each spirometry appointment takes approximately 15 minutes and is completed with the latest spirometers.
Visual acuity tests
Visual acuity tests measure the ability to see fine detail. Visual acuity is determined by measuring the smallest size print that a person can read. Both at a distance and close up.
Distance visual acuity
A visual acuity chart is used to test distance visual acuity. It uses capital letters of different sizes to test vision in literate adults.
The test is conducted at 6 metres (20 feet in USA). The test result is given as a fraction that indicates the distance in metres at which that row of the chart can be read by a normal eye.
The top number of the fraction indicates the test distance (how far you are standing from the chart). It is usually 6 metres
Colour vision
About 8% of males and 0.4% of females are colour blind. Colour blindness is predominantly an inherited condition, for which there is no cure. Colours may be confused, and some colours may be seen more dimly. Some retinal and optic nerve diseases also affect colour vision. Colour vision can affect areas such as career choice and communication.
Testing is done by looking at figures that can only be seen when all the colours can be distinguished. The diagram is an example of an Ishihara colour vision test
Contrast Sensitivity
Visual acuity measures the ability of the eye to resolve fine detail with maximum contrast (black on white). In real life situations, most tasks are not in black and white and may require the ability to detect small changes in shade. It is useful to determine how much contrast a client requires in order to discern an object from its background. Contrast sensitivity tests use graded levels of grey letters or stripes to determine the lowest difference in contrast discernible. The commonly used tests require the person to indicate which direction parallel lines are facing.
Breath alcohol testing devices, commonly known by the term for one type of device - Breathalyzer - measure how much alcohol is currently in the blood. Breath alcohol tests show current levels of impairment or intoxication, not past use.
A mouth swab drug test, also known as a saliva test or oral fluids test, collects saliva from inside the job applicant’s or employee's mouth. The saliva is tested for the use of drugs during the previous few hours up to one to two days. Saliva is easy to collect and test, so this is one of the simplest and least invasive types of drug testing. A urine drug test is the most commonly used test when job applicants or employees are screened for illegal drugs or alcohol use. Urinalysis shows the presence of drug residues that remain in the body after the effects of the drug have worn off.
Drugs that are screened for in a typical urine drug test for employment purposes include amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, opiates, nicotine, and alcohol.
Urine tests may be required as part of pre-employment screening or may be conducted randomly by employers, especially for employees in certain occupations.
When do companies drug test job applicants and employees? Sometimes drug testing is part of the employment hiring process. This is known as pre-employment drug testing. Companies also have the right to test employees for drug and alcohol use during their employment. Typically, companies notify prospective employees that they test for drug use as part of the application process. It is usually mentioned in the job posting or on the initial application.
Cardiac Function
An electrocardiogram - or ECG - is a simple and useful test which records the rhythm and electrical activity of your heart.
What happens in an ECG test?
Small sticky patches called electrodes are put on your arms, legs and chest. These are connected by wires to an ECG recording machine which picks up the electrical signals that make your heart beat. This electrical activity is recorded and printed onto paper.
What can an ECG show?
An ECG can help detect problems with your heart rate or heart rhythm – called arrhythmias. It can help doctors tell if you’re having a heart attack or if you’ve had a heart attack in the past. Sometimes an ECG can indicate if your heart is enlarged or thickened.
An ECG is usually one of the first heart tests you will have. It does have some limitations, so often you will have one or more other tests too. An abnormal ECG reading doesn’t always mean there is something wrong with your heart.
Different types of ECG test
Exercise ECG or stress test
This is an ECG that is recorded while you are walking on a treadmill or cycling on an exercise bike. The aim of this test is to see how your heart works when you are more active.
Blood pressure /Cholesterol / Diabetes screening, are all further assessments we deliver, for further detailed information on any of our services please contact a member of our professional team of medics
