Work Doctor OH
Silica (RCS) Health Surveillance Services
Protect your workforce against silicosis and ensure full COSHH Regulation 11 compliance with our doctor-led Silica Exposure Health Surveillance. Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) is created during cutting, drilling, and grinding concrete, stone, brick, and tile. Work Doctor OH provides complete Occupational Lung Health Surveillance including Lung Function Testing / Spirometry, respiratory questionnaires, and Silicosis Chest X-Rays where indicated protecting employee health and defending your business against legal liability.
Service Details
WHAT IS SILICA HEALTH SURVEILLANCE?
Silica Health Surveillance is a statutory health monitoring process for employees exposed to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) dust in the workplace. Inhaling fine silica dust from cutting, drilling, or crushing materials like stone, concrete, and brick can lead to Silicosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COSHH), and lung cancer—causing irreversible lung damage.
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (Regulation 11), employers have a strict legal duty to provide health surveillance for workers exposed to silica dust where health risks exist. Surveillance must be conducted by qualified occupational health professionals trained in respiratory screening.
The goal of RCS health surveillance is early detection of respiratory symptoms and lung function decline, ensuring workers remain safe while supporting employers in maintaining full compliance with Health and Safety Executive (HSE L137) guidelines.
Key Benefits
- 100% COSHH Regulation 11 Compliance
- Early Silicosis & Symptom Detection
- Statutory 40-Year Digital Archiving
- Zero-Downtime On-Site Delivery
- Defense Against Liability & Insurance Risk
Who Is This For?
- Construction & Demolition
- Stonemasonry & Stone Fabricators
- Quarrying & Mining
- Brick, Tile & Ceramics Manufacturing
What Does a Silica Health Surveillance Assessment Include?
A Silica (Respirable Crystalline Silica – RCS) Health Surveillance Assessment is a specialized occupational health medical designed to detect early signs of lung damage such as silicosis, COPD, or occupational asthma before irreversible damage occurs.
Because silicosis develops silently over time, health surveillance combines clinical history, objective physiological measurements, and regulatory record-keeping.
Health Surveillance Assessment
- Baseline & Periodic Respiratory Questionnaire
- Spirometry Testing (Lung Function Test)
- Skin & Respiratory Health Checks
- ILO Standard Chest X-Rays (When Clinically Indicated)
What Employers Receive (Deliverables & Reporting)
- Fitness-for-Work Certificates
- Anonymised Group Reports
- 40-Year Health Record Compliance
Why Choose Work Doctor OH
Seamless, Non-Disruptive Occupational Health Services
- Mobile On-Site Clinics: We bring our occupational health units and specialists directly to your construction site or factory floor to minimize workforce downtime.
- SEQOHS-Aligned Excellence: Medical reviews carried out by registered Occupational Health Nurses and Physicians.
- National Coverage: Rapid deployment across London, the Midlands, and nationwide UK locations.
- End-to-End Support: From initial risk assessment reviews to secondary specialist referrals if abnormal lung function is detected.
Book Your Silica Health Surveillance
Questions
What does a Silica (RCS) Health Surveillance medical involve?
A: A standard assessment includes a comprehensive respiratory symptom questionnaire, spirometry (lung function testing) to measure FEV1/FVC ratios, and an occupational chest X-ray where clinically or occupationally indicated.
Who needs a Silica (RCS) medical?
A: Any employee exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust created during cutting, crushing, grinding, or drilling materials such as concrete, brick, tiles, mortar, or engineered stone.
How often are silica medicals required?
- A: A baseline assessment must take place prior to initial exposure, followed by annual respiratory health questionnaires and spirometry, with periodic chest X-rays based on exposure risk assessments.
What symptoms does the medical check for?
A: The medical checks for early signs of silicosis and lung damage, including persistent cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and reduced lung capacity.
What happens if abnormal results or symptoms are detected?
A: The case is immediately escalated to an Occupational Health Physician for clinical review. We provide the employer with clear guidance regarding fitness for work, workplace exposure controls, and further diagnostic recommendations.
How long must employers retain silica health surveillance records?
A: Under UK COSHH regulations, health surveillance records for silica exposure must be securely retained for at least 40 years from the date of the last entry.
Who pays for Silica (RCS) health surveillance?
A: Under UK health and safety law, the employer is legally responsible for funding mandatory health surveillance for their exposed workforce.