How do I know if I need a safety critical medical assessment?
Safety Critical tasks should be identified through a risk assessment. This will identify the activity being carried out and the risks associated with the task. This may also be linked to other risk assessments where health surveillance is required.
Examples of Safety Critical tasks may include:
- FLT Driver (in specific circumstances)
- operating machinery
- static or mobile plant operator
- scaffolders/riggers
- confined spaces
- working at heights (above and below ground in specific circumstances)
- working with harnesses
Why should a safety critical medical assessment be considered?
The 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.
It is important that safety-critical workers are not suffering from medical conditions or undergoing any medical treatment which is likely to cause sudden loss of consciousness or incapacity, impairment of awareness, concentration, balance or coordination or significant limitation of mobility.
Similarly, the safety critical activity being undertaken may impose limitations or resections that the employee undertaking the task may need to be medically assessed against - eg shoulder, chest and waist width to enter a confined space, limb dexterity and movement to climb ladders or scaffolding, weight and BMI restrictions to comply with harness weight restrictions etc.
Advice
Occupational Health are not aware of any safety critical actives in the University that have been assessed as requiring additional Safety Critical Heath Assessments. If your risk assessment indicated that this may be a requirement, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss via phone or email - please see our contacts page for details. Similarly you may wish to contact your Departmental, Divisional or Areas Safety Officer - or the central Safety Office for their guidance and assistance.
