In order for employees to work in a healthy and safe manner, health monitoring is mandatory in specific cases. What is the starting point?

For certain jobs, a new employee must visit the occupational health physician for a health assessment. The health assessment prior to commencing work and the periodic health monitoring are mandatory in 3 task categories:

1. Safety functions
   Your employee performs a task in which they use or operate work equipment that may endanger the health of themselves or other employees. Examples are a service weapon, motor vehicles, cranes and hoists. 
    
2. Functions with increased vigilance
   Your employee permanently supervises the operation of an installation. A lack of vigilance would endanger the safety and health of his or her colleagues. Think of a complex technical installation controlled with a computer.
    
3. Activities with a specific risk
   This category includes a variety of tasks linked to at least one of the following risks:
   • exposure to physical, chemical or biological agents;
   • ergonomic load(e.g. lifting heavy objects);
   • physical and/or mental strain associated with heavy, monotonous or tempo-bound work. Examples are tasks of care personnel and continuous contact with a demanding audience

It is sometimes unclear whether certain tasks fall under one of the three categories. For example, activities that seem physically light at first glance can still provoke ergonomic complaints.

In order to provide clarity, a risk analysis is required. Together with the prevention advisor and occupational physician, you will carry out the analysis and submit it to the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPWB). Based on the results, you as an employer can decide whether or not a prior health assessment is necessary.

The above rules also apply to the special categories of employees, including students. If the tasks of your student(s) fall under a safety function, a function with increased vigilance or activities with a specific risk, a prior health assessment and periodic health monitoring are therefore mandatory.

In addition, a health assessment is also necessary if the working student:

• is younger than 18 when he or she first starts working as a student;
• performs night work;
• is exposed to chemical agents or employed in the activities or places listed in Annex X.3-1.

If the employee or student already underwent a health assessment for a similar job within the statutory period, the employment doctor may take use that assessment and does not need to carry out any new examination.