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When is a targeted health examination relevant?

Targeted health examination is a preventive measure, and must take place before work with hazardous components begins.

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You have the right to a targeted health examination if a risk assessment shows that you may be exposed to one or more of the factors in the list below. In addition, additional follow-up may be needed if an unwanted incident has occurred. The employer must ensure that employees and students are informed of necessary targeted health examinations.

Factors that trigger the right to a targeted health examination:

Asbestos fibers and asbestos dust:

Employees and students who may be or have been exposed to asbestos fiber / asbestos dust must undergo a health examination.

Employees and students, working for UiB, shall be offered a health check if they may be or have been exposed to dust with asbestos fiber.
The health check must be conducted before employees and students are put to work and then at least every 3 years.

Health checks for work involving noise:

Employees who are exposed to noise that exceeds LEX, 8h = 80 dB or LpC, peak = 130 dB must undergo a health examination with hearing control.

The use of hearing protection does not exempt from such control.
 

Radiation (ionizing radiation, artificial optical radiation and electromagnetic fields):

A health examination must be carried out if you can exceed given limit values ​​for exposure, or if a risk assessment shows that the work may entail health risks. Targeted health examinations must be carried out before such work is initiated.

Work with ionizing radiation can trigger requirements for registration in the exposure register.

Lead and lead compounds:

Employees and students must be offered a health check before they are put to work with lead or lead compounds.

The health check includes, among other things, measuring the lead content in the blood. The measurement must be repeated every 3 months. After 3 measurements, the further frequency of health check will depend on the result of the measurement.

Hazardous chemicals and gases:

These are chemicals that can be dangerous for safety and health. Examples of this are carcinogenic, hereditary, toxic or corrosive, nanomaterials and lead / lead compounds. In addition, there is hazardous dust, such as wood dust, dust from animals, metal dust, smoke, dust from stone, sand, dry mortar and concrete. A health examination may be relevant for anyone who manufactures, packages and handles waste from hazardous chemicals, or cleans equipment and handles spills from hazardous chemicals.

Work with carcinogenic or mutagenic chemicals, lead / lead compounds and wood dust can trigger requirements for registration in the exposure register.
Employees and students who are exposed to hazardous chemicals in such a way that it can cause health damage must be offered health checks.
The health check must be performed before the employee or student begins work on hazardous chemicals. Furthermore, the frequency of health checks is assessed by a company doctor.

Biological factors:

This is living or dead biological material (such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, cell cultures, viruses, prions, toxins and allergens) that can cause harmful effects (such as infections, allergies or toxic effects) to humans or the environment (such as animals or plants). Biological factors may occur naturally or be genetically modified. Health examinations are relevant for employees and students who work with human material, in experimental animal wards, with wastewater or stay in rooms where work with biological factors takes place.

Work with biological factors can trigger requirements for registration in the exposure register.
If a risk assessment shows that employees and students may be exposed to biological factors in such a way that more than usual hygienic protective measures are necessary, the employee must have a suitable health examination.
The health examination must be performed before the employee can be exposed to biological factors, and then at regular intervals.
The employer must ensure that employees are offered safe and effective vaccination against biological factors to which they may be exposed, where such a vaccine is available. The employer must cover the costs of the vaccination.

Health checks for work involving mining:

This applies to work such as quarrying of rocks, crushing of rocks, etc. If a risk assessment shows that the employees are exposed to gas or dust that can lead to harmful conditions, they must undergo a health examination.
If the risk assessment shows that the employees are exposed to gas or dust that may pose a risk of bovine lung disease or other harmful conditions, the employees must undergo a health examination adapted to the risk to which they are exposed.
The health examination must be performed before the employee can be exposed to such work. Thereafter, the examination must be carried out regularly, and at least every five years. The content and frequency of the examination are decided by the doctor.