The obligation to provide occupational health surveillance for all employees is determined by Act no. 355/2007 Coll. – Act on the Protection, Promotion and Development of Public Health and on Amendments to Certain Acts.

Occupational Health Surveillance (HS) provides health supervision at the workplace. What does it mean? The aim is to identify risks – factors of the work environment that can harm the health of employees in the long run, re-evaluate them and propose solutions to reduce health risks and prevent the emergence of occupational diseases in the future. The main goal is to promote health at work, improve the health and quality of life of employees.

By law, everyone who employs at least 1 employee or the employer is an employee must have occupational health service.

Part of the HS documentation is the evaluation of the so-called entrance audit, risk assessment with categorization of works, or registration of employees in cat. 2, medical report on medical fitness (medical examination in relation to work).

1. What does the HS audit look like in practice?

After concluding the contract, we will agree on an initial audit with you, or we will request all the necessary documents (depending on the nature of the operation), during the initial audit we will go through the entire operation risk that arises in the workplace. Subsequently, we are always available to you in case of questions or inspections by state authorities.

2. Do we have to have operating rules?

You must have the operating rules, if it is an obligation under the law, e.g. when working with noise, when working with chemicals, when working with vibrating tools, for operations – catering facilities (cafe, restaurant, bistro, etc.), when working with asbestos, when working with biological factors, accommodation facilities, school facilities , etc. or if the relevant regional public health authority so instructs you.

3. Are initial medical examinations mandatory in relation to work?

Initial medical examinations are mandatory for every employee (including contractors and temporary workers), this obligation is imposed in § 6 letter. o) Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic no. 124/2006 Coll. on occupational safety and health „the employer is obliged to classify employees for the performance of work with regard to their state of health, especially on the result of the assessment of their medical fitness for work and other…“

4. Medical periodic (preventive) examinations in relation to work are mandatory v 1. and 2nd category of works?

Periodic (preventive) medical examinations are not mandatory in work category 1. and 2., but we recommend performing such inspections every 3 years. Furthermore, periodic medical examinations are obligatory, if it is determined by a special prescription, e.g. 1x per year for night work, 1x for 5 years for updating training – e.g. forklift operator, load binder, VTZ inspection technician, welder and the like.

5. Who can come to us for inspection?

In the area of occupational health protection, employees of regional public health authorities perform state health supervision – a check that you have fulfilled all legal obligations. Also, as part of the Labor Inspectorate’s inspection, inspectors may check medical examinations or operating rules. In the case of providing HS by our company, we represent you directly at your inspection at every inspection.

6. What is an occupational disease?

Occupational disease is any damage to the health of an employee that has occurred in a causal connection with work. An occupational disease is considered to be a disease which has been recognized by the relevant specialized workplace according to special regulations and the disease is included in the list of occupational diseases and arose under the conditions specified in the special regulation.