Medical checks and registration

Medical checks must always be offered in connection with work that entails

1. exposure to lead and cadmium (mandatory medical examination and biological exposure check before the work is begun, medical examination every 3 years; biological exposure check every 3 months for lead and every 6 months for cadmium, there are certain exceptions from this requirement; see AFS 2005:6 Sections 12, 17, and 22);
2. exposure to fibrosis-inducing dust: asbestos, quartz and certain inorganic synthetic fibres (medical examination before the work is begun, and every 3 years) (2005:6 Section 27);
3. exposure to thermosetting plastics (epoxy plastics, formaldehyde resins, methacrylates and acrylates that must be labelled with H317/H334. Medical examination before the work is begun, thereafter after 3–6 months and then every other year, in connection with ester plastics every 6 months) (AFS 2005:6, Section 32);
4. great physical stress (e.g. smoke and full suit rescue; see AFT 2005:6, Sections 41–56);
5. exposure to vibrations, including vortex-inducing vibrations (before the work is begun, and every 3 years) (2005:6, Section 58);
6. night work (before the work is begun, and every 6 years) (2005:6, Section 63); and in connection with work with:
7. artificial optical radiation (lasers) if the radiation doses exceed the limit values in Section 4 of AFS 2009:7, or if an employee who works with lasers displays signs of illness owing to the work;
8. microbiological contagions as needed (2005:1, Section 17), or
9. certain classes of ionising radiation (SSMFS 2008:51).

The medical checks shall, in certain cases, result in what is known as an 'employability assessment' as regards Points 1, 2, and 4 above, and certain jobs in accordance with Point 3. The serviceability assessment must be documented. An employee assessed as not employable may not work with the substances in question. If the rule is violated, an administrative penalty of SEK 150,000 will be demanded for organisations with more than 500 employees.

Furthermore, periodical medical examinations shall result in an employability assessment for the employee who is occupied in:

• work with chemical products containing diisocyanates or organic acid halogenides that are to be labelled with H334;
• work with chemical products containing ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate or methyl-2-acrylate, if the work totals more than 30 minutes per week; and
• work that could involve exposure to isocyanates that are formed in connection with thermal decomposition.

Registries shall be kept of employees who are

• exposed to biological contagions of risk classes 3 and 4 (the administrative penalty is SEK 50,000 if the employer neglects to do this);
• are exposed to chemical products with hazard statement H340 or H350 that could entail a risk of ill health;
• take part in operations where auramine is manufactured;
• are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) found in coal soot, coal tar, and coal pitch; or to dust, fumes, or sprays produced during the roasting and electro-refining of cupro-nickel mattes; and to wood dust from deciduous trees;
• use processes where strong acids are a part in the manufacture of isopropyl alcohol; and of those who
• have undergone medical checks in accordance with AFS 2005:6.

The registry information must be reported quarterly to the Swedish Work Environment Authority.