Is there a legal obligation to supply occupational health to paint sprayers in the UK?

Would a company employing 100 people using paint sprayer have a legal obligation to supply occupational health to the workers?

Occupational Asthma, Specialist, 5/12/2007, 5/12/2007,

This is more difficult to answer than first appears. In the UK the answer does not relate to the numbers; small employers have the same obligations under COSHH (the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, the legal framework for occupational health) as larger ones. The rules are under the COSHH regulations First you do a risk assessment If the paints are cellulose only; the Hazard from a respiratory point of view would probably be low and no further action from a respiratory point of view would be needed. If polyurthanes (isocyanates) are present in any form the hazard would be significant The risk assessment depends on the likelihood of the hazard causing a problem in the particular workplace, for any isocyanate spraying the hazard would be significant, as paint sprayers using isocyanate paints either as monomers, prepolymers or "blocked" are amongst those with the greatest risk of developing occupational asthma For significant occupational asthma hazards respiratory surveillance is required under COSHH regulation 11; this would include access to occupational health professionals for surveillance.

5/12/2007