Health Surveillance for Asbestos
Enquire NowAt Health Surveillance, we provide mandatory medical monitoring for asbestos, protecting employees at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres.
Asbestos is a highly hazardous substance linked to serious long-term illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Since these conditions can take decades to appear, regular surveillance is essential. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, employers must ensure staff working with licensable asbestos undergo regular medical checks by an HSE-appointed doctor.
Our service ensures compliance, early detection of health concerns, and long-term protection for workers.
Request a free quote for our health surveillance for asbestos exposure today.
Why Is Health Surveillance Important for Asbestos?
Asbestos-related diseases often develop without symptoms for many years, which makes regular monitoring vital.
Surveillance helps detect early changes in respiratory health, providing reassurance for workers while ensuring employers meet strict legal duties.
Without medical surveillance, employees may unknowingly continue working until irreversible damage has occurred.
What Does Health Surveillance for Asbestos Involve?
Surveillance begins with a baseline medical carried out by an HSE-appointed occupational health physician before an employee starts licensable asbestos work. Follow-up medicals are required every two years.
These may include lung function tests, chest assessments, occupational history reviews, and health questionnaires.
All results are recorded confidentially and securely for long-term monitoring.
How Often Should Asbestos Health Checks Be Carried Out?
By law, medical examinations must take place at least every two years for those involved in licensable asbestos work.
In higher-risk cases, the appointed doctor may recommend more frequent reviews.
Our health surveillance company uses a biennial system to ensure that workers’ health is monitored consistently over time.
What Are the Benefits of Health Surveillance for Asbestos?
The key benefit is that asbestos medical assessments protect employees from long-term disease while ensuring employers comply with UK law.
Key benefits include:
Detects early changes in lung function and health.
Provides reassurance to employees working in high-risk roles.
Ensures compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Reduces the risk of legal claims and enforcement action.
Maintains accurate long-term health records.
What Symptoms Are Monitored During Asbestos Surveillance?
Our Asbestos checks focus on symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain, wheezing, and persistent coughs.
Even subtle respiratory issues are taken seriously, as asbestos-related diseases may progress slowly over decades.
Lung function testing helps identify problems that might not be obvious to the worker.
Is Health Surveillance for Asbestos a Legal Requirement?
Any employee undertaking licensable asbestos work must undergo medical surveillance by an HSE-appointed doctor at least every two years.
Employers must also retain records for a minimum of 40 years, given the long latency period of asbestos-related diseases.
Failure to comply can lead to prosecution, fines, or enforcement action.
What Is the Cost of Health Surveillance for Asbestos?
The cost of medical assessments for asbestos range from £120 to £200 per employee, every two years.
Costs vary depending on workforce size and the scope of medicals.
For larger organisations, tailored health surveillance packages are often more cost-effective, reducing the cost per worker.
Which Workers Need Asbestos Health Surveillance Most?
Health surveillance for asbestos is required for employees engaged in licensable asbestos work, such as removal, repair, or maintenance of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
Workers in construction, demolition, shipbuilding, and building maintenance are particularly at risk.
Even short-term exposure to asbestos fibres can be dangerous, which is why strict monitoring is a legal requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Can Health Surveillance Prevent Asbestos-Related Illnesses?
While surveillance cannot stop asbestos exposure itself, it plays a vital role in protecting workers by detecting early warning signs of respiratory issues.
Our team ensures that medical interventions, workplace adjustments, or redeployment can take place before conditions become severe.
When combined with strict exposure controls and proper training, health surveillance is one of the most effective measures for reducing long-term risks from asbestos.
How Does Health Surveillance for Asbestos Support HSE Compliance?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires employers to implement asbestos health surveillance for workers in licensable roles.
Regular medicals by an appointed doctor, long-term record keeping, and documented evidence of compliance all demonstrate that risks are being managed.
Our asbestos medical assessments not only help employers meet their legal obligations but also protect them from enforcement action, fines, or reputational damage.
Are Asbestos Medical Records Confidential?
All asbestos health surveillance records are treated as strictly confidential and managed in accordance with GDPR.
Employees receive their personal results directly, while employers only receive certificates of fitness to work or recommendations for adjustments.
Confidential handling encourages workers to engage openly in the surveillance process, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
What Other Controls Should Employers Implement Alongside Asbestos Surveillance?
Health surveillance should always be combined with robust exposure prevention measures.
Employers must ensure that asbestos work is carried out under controlled conditions with proper ventilation, approved personal protective equipment (PPE), and effective decontamination procedures.
Training employees in safe asbestos handling and ensuring that licensed contractors are used where necessary are equally critical.
Surveillance then provides a safety net by checking that these controls are effective in protecting worker health.
How Long Do Employers Need to Keep Asbestos Surveillance Records?
Employers are legally required to keep asbestos medical records for at least 40 years, as asbestos-related illnesses can take decades to develop.
Records include medical histories, lung function test results, and fitness-to-work certificates.
They must be stored securely but made available for HSE inspection if requested. Keeping long-term records ensures ongoing compliance and provides evidence of employer responsibility.
What Happens If Abnormal Results Are Found?
If medical surveillance detects abnormalities, the worker may be referred for further testing, such as chest X-rays or specialist lung assessments.
Employers may need to temporarily remove the worker from asbestos duties until investigations are complete.
They must also review workplace controls to ensure exposure risks are properly managed.
How Are Records Managed for Asbestos Health Surveillance?
Employers must keep health records securely and retain them for at least 40 years.
These records include certificates of fitness, medical histories, and test results.
While medical details remain confidential, summaries must be available for HSE inspection if required. Proper record management ensures both compliance and long-term protection for workers.
Schedule a Professional Asbestos Evaluation Today
At Health Surveillance for Asbestos, we deliver professional and legally compliant monitoring to protect workers and support employers.
Our service ensures early detection of health issues, accurate long-term records, and compliance with UK legislation.
Contact Health Surveillance for Asbestos today to arrange your workplace surveillance programme.
Other Services We Offer
At Health Surveillance, we offer a wide range of services; some of these include:
Health Surveillance for Skin Checks
Health Surveillance for Bakery Workers
Health Surveillance for Benzene
Health Surveillance for Radiation Workers
Health Surveillance for Silica Exposure
Health Surveillance for Formaldehyde
Health Surveillance for COSHH
Health Surveillance for Dermatitis
Health Surveillance for Mental Health