The HSE defines “Safety Critical work” as work “where the ill health of an individual may compromise their ability to undertake a task defined as safety critical, thereby posing a significant risk to the health and safety of others.”
A safety critical medical is a specialised set of medical assessments carried out on employees whose potential conditions could pose a danger to their undertaking high-risk roles. These employees may typically work in construction, manufacturing plants, transport industries and other safety critical working environments.
In addition to their physical health, safety critical workers should remain calm and be able to make vital decisions under pressure. Therefore, the employee’s mental health may also have a bearing on their working role.
Safety critical medicals are a legal requirement in some industries and roles. And they are considered best practice in many other industries. A safety critical medical can help ensure that only individuals fit to perform such tasks are working in those roles, prioritizing workplace safety and employee wellbeing by proactively detecting medical issues.
Safety critical medicals may provide:
- Preventative measures – detecting health issues early and allowing timely treatment
- Employee protection – may help to identify potential risks early and prevent accident and injuries
- Legal compliance – in some industries these medicals help to ensure employers are taking necessary steps to protect their workforce
- Reduced liability – demonstrating a commitment to workplace safety may help mitigate potential legal issues related to employee health
- Peace of mind – regular monitoring can provide employers and employees with a sense of security
At Workplace Wellness, a Safety Critical medical typically involves:
- A screening questionnaire to include hearing, vision, lung function, vibration, medication review, skin, substance exposure
- Urinalysis (urine dipstick test)
- Height/weight, BMI, height/weight ratio
- Blood pressure and pulse
- Audiometry/hearing test
- Visual testing
- Spirometry/lung function test
- HAVS (hand arm vibration) assessment
- Musculoskeletal assessment
- Skin check
Working at height and working in confined spaces are also considered safety critical roles, however Workplace Wellness carry out enhanced Safety Critical medicals on employees working in these environments – namely, a ‘Working at Height’ and a ‘Confined Space’ medical. These medicals will have additional assessments (such as ECG, fitness testing, glucose finger prick test, grip strength, and a mental health assessment) due to the additionally dangerous nature of the role. Also, the employee will be seen by our doctor as well as the nurse.
Although working in a mine is also widely considered a safety critical role due to the inherently dangerous working conditions, Workplace Wellness offer a separate Mine/Mine Rescue medical for employees working in this field.
Workplace Wellness are an Occupational Health provider based a few miles from Bath with over 30 years of experience, working with businesses in the construction sector, frontline workers, aerospace, mining companies, and employers/employees from a wide range of other industries. We can also arrange medicals for private contractors. We have an experienced team including three Occupational Health Physicians and three Occupational Health Nurses.
Feel free to make contact with our admin team on info@workplacewellness.health to discuss your requirements.
HSE Health & Safety Executive