Posted By Deirdre Gallagher I am having difficulty in finding out whether health surveillance is required, once the use of cidex(in a hosp setting) has been discontinued.The Data sheet does not clarify and the manufacturers say they dont know, but they believe that some Hospitals continue to do annual health surveillance though staff are no longer exposed.Does anyone have any knowledge of what should be done?? Deirdre

Posted By Alison Dando The purpose of health surveillance is not only to assist in the evaluation of measures taken to control exposure but it is also used to protect the health of individual staff by the detection of adverse changes.That means for certain individuals based on an Occupational Health doctor's clinical judgement health surveillance will need to be continued as a lung function test may be part of the continuing care for a member of staff with sensitised respiratory tissue. With those staff with normal lung function your Occupational Health Dept. may decide to give them a final lung fuction and call it a day but let them make the decision. Of course if you are changing from cidex to another chemical you may wish to continue health surveillance for a sterilant e.g.containing chlorine dioxide or hydrogen peroxide as these chemicals are irritants (but not sensitisers). Just because the sterilant supplier may say that it isn't needed it doesn't mean to say that you can't do it.Where staff have used a variety of chemicals as cold sterilants for several years, the lung tissue does appear in some individuals to become very sensitive to irritants even though you may be well below any OES/MEL. Any employer has to manage in a caring way the ill health of their staff, especially if they've contributed to it! If you decide not to continue health surveillance you should still allow staff to self refer to Occupational health if they feel they have a health problem whch is related to work because tolerances of individuals vary considerably to these chemicals.