Employee Health Check-Ups

World Health Organization (WHO) has defined health, as “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Preventive health care is very important determinant of health since prevention means avoiding or slowing the course of disease, which is essential for good quality of life.

The diseases cause absenteeism at work place and early retirement from jobs. If diseases are not prevented, they lower the labor productivity and organizations have to bear the burden.

As per Indian Factory Act 1948, both regular and contract employees are subjected to undergo health checkups before employment and periodic health checkups after joining organization. The health checkups required for employee fit are called “Pre Employment Health Checkup”. The periodic health checkups can be defined based on periodic interval and type of employees like “Annual Health Checkup” for year and “Executive Health Checkup” for company executives.

Industry Specific Health Checkups

Medical checkups vary as per the work environment. These health checkups generally defined by the medical officer in consultation with employer.

Food handlers are people who are involved in processing, manufacturing, production, serving any foodstuff including water and beverages. They are prescribed for food handler health checkups that include mainly Skin diseases and contagious diseases.

Drivers and operators of machinery / equipment are recommended for health checkups mainly involving vision tests.

Those work in hazardous environments like fabrication shop, Paint shop, and welding shop etc. are recommended for Chest X-Ray and other relevant medical tests.

Periodicity of Health Checkup

Pre Employment health checkups are done before employee joining organization. Periodicity of periodic health checkups is decided by employee age, position in organization, working environment and industry.

Executives of company are recommended for “Annual Health Checkup”. Food handlers may be recommended for health checkup twice in a year.