Hazardous Substances: Health Professions
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will require NHS employers to provide ongoing (a) education, (b) training and (c) health surveillance for all staff who (i) handle and (ii) may be exposed to hazardous medicinal products.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
Where hazardous medicinal products (HMPs) are substances hazardous to health within the meaning of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) (COSHH), every employer is required to provide that employee with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training.
COSHH sets out specific requirements for where health surveillance is appropriate for the protection of the health of employees who are, or are liable to be, exposed to a substance hazardous to health. This includes where the exposure of the employee to a substance hazardous to health is such that –
(i) an identifiable disease or adverse health effect may be related to the exposure;
(ii) there is a reasonable likelihood that the disease or effect may occur under the particular conditions of his work; and
(iii) (iii) there are valid techniques for detecting indications of the disease or effect and the technique of investigation is of low risk to the employee.
It is therefore for the employer to determine if health surveillance is appropriate as part of it’s duties under COSHH.
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