The HSE issues first ever Prohibition Notice against an occupational health service provider

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued its first ever Prohibition Notice against an occupational health service provider due to inadequate health surveillance putting workers at risk of serious harm.

The HSE investigation found that inadequately trained, unsupervised, and unqualified staff had been providing health surveillance. The lack of an adequate staff provision gave rise to the serious risk that early signs of serious occupational diseases would go undetected.

Following its investigation, the HSE issued a Prohibition Notice to stop providing health surveillance to eliminate further risk of serious personal injury.

The HSE’s decision to issue the Prohibition Notice demonstrates an appetite for enforcement in this area, aiming to curtail inadequate occupational health services.