Posted By Jim-F we work a lot in and around open sewers, our guys are down a lot with flu symptoms, can anyone advise on getting the guys jabs and how much do you think it would cost.

Posted By Phil.D.Baptiste following on from last reponse... Hepatitis has also been found to survive in sewers, water course etc....I would also set up a health surveillance program There are lots of providers out there, including GP's....jabs can cost from as little as £45 for flu etc....i think it's still a 3 course jab for Hepatitis, last time I looked it was £75 from the NHS Occy' Health Service or was that BUPA.... Phil B

Posted By Liam Nolan Hi, We also work in sewers and with sewage. We have an inoculation requirement for Hep A. Additional suggested inocculations could be Tetnius. Speak to your Company Doctor (or even your own personnal Doctor) he/she will be able to advise you on requirements. Liam

Posted By DT Our guys work in confined spaces a lot, and a lot of this is in sewage chambers. We require that Hep A, Hep B and tetanus are given to our employees. This has been the minimum for a number of years now and was decided after talking to people with our local water authority. We have also found that going to their own doctors may or may not be cheaper, depending on where they live. Some doctors charge only a minimal fee where as others charge the earth! For those, we found it cheaper to go to a local industrial doctors practice where we also carry out health examinations to check their fitness for this type of industry. NB : this has been asked for by some of our clients as a minimum requirement to accessing their place of work. Dot

Posted By Gary L With such jabs (tetanus, Hep A etc) being a recognised control for working in sewers, would a company then be well within their right to dismiss someone who refuses to have the jabs citing for eg, needle phobia? regards

Posted By Nick Egan I think there are some possibly misleading replies here that ought to be checked out by a Dr with OM specialism and/or the local NHS Consultant in Communicable Diseases What is the basis for HepB? Blood bourne and unlikely to in viable quantity to cause infection? Polio? surely almost, if not completly eradecated by infantile innoculation. Tetanus, a public health issue and a matter for the individual to maintain their status through their GP whether employed or not. I don't think we should advocate willy-nilly the application of highly invasive methods to prevent ( and not always efficasiously) an infection. Should we not be looking at RPE, face-shields, impermiable overalls and gloves? What about old fasioned soap and water? or the modern day anti-septic washes? Leptospires are a serious candidate for infection, however there is (last time I checked) no vacine for Leptospires in the UK and only one or two serovas are covered elswhere. There is I understand, only one specialist Lab in the UK capable of isolating and confirming infection by Leptospirosis. There again most flu like symptoms are caused by - Flu or more probably the common cold. Nick

Posted By Lumpy Sorry one thing I forgot to add. There is a big difference, in exposure terms, between walking through a sewer and undertaking work that may create infectious aerosols. During one sampling session the Water authority employees were high pressure water jetting the walls of the sewer. The walls were coated in feacies, sanitary towels etc etc. A very efficient way of producing infectious aerosols (inc. Blood Borne) wouldn't you agree. In short consider the work you do, and if there is a way you can reduce exposure.