A document that
employers must keep for each individual
employee placed under
health surveillance. It should not include confidential clinical data, must be kept up-to-date and should contain at least the following:
1) identifying details: surname; forenames; gender; date of birth; permanent address and post code; National Insurance number; date when present employment started; and a historical record of jobs in this employment involving
exposure to identified substances requiring health surveillance;
2) results of all other health surveillance procedures and the date on which and by whom they were carried out. The conclusions should relate only to the employee's fitness for work and will include, where appropriate:
a) a record of the decisions of the medical inspector or
appointed doctor; or
b) conclusions of the medical practitioner, occupational health nurse or other suitably qualified or responsible person.
Employer's duties
Employers must keep these health records, or a copy of them, available in a suitable form, for at least 40 years from the date of the last entry made in them. They may be kept in any format, e.g. on paper or electronically. Where records are kept electronically, employers should ensure that they have a suitable back-up system that allows access to copies of the records in the event of a serious computer failure. Employers shall also:
1) on reasonable notice being given, allow an employee access to his personal health record;
2) provide the Health and Safety Executive with copies of such health records as it may require;
3) if he ceases to trade, notify the Health and Safety Executive forthwith in writing and make available to the Executive all health records kept by him.
