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Hi Tracey http://www.hse.gov.uk/PUBNS/books/hsg6.htm There's a link to the HSE Guide to Safety in working with Lift Trucks which should sort out the disagreement once and for all! My understanding is that there is no legal requirement to do any medical at all. However, via risk assessment the need should ideally be demonstrated and it is considered poor practice not to do anything. So, whilst not technically legal the HSE would take a very dim view of a company who hadn't taken the necessary steps to ensure safety of employees where lift trucks are involved, including appropriate medical assessments. Hearing is tested to ascertain safety i.e. can the employee hear warning sirens or someone calling to them etc etc. and so is health screening rather than health surveillance. Therefore, you may be satisfied with them if they are able to hear normal speech. Audiometric testing will give a far better picture but isn't a legal requirement - unless of course they are exposed to noise to a sufficient degree (which often they are working in factory environments). This calls into mind the case of truck drivers, exposed to noise, wearing ear-defenders so reducing their chance of hearing aforementioned sirens or someone that yelling that they are about the be run over!! Therefore, short answer. No legal requirement to test hearing. Best practice is an audio as part of a full medical (details in the book linked above). Somewhere in between is simple personal assessment of their hearing. My first post on here - don't be too harsh with me! Jeannette Lount Occupational Health Consultant Occupational Healthwise Ltd www.occupationalhealthwise.com From: Tracey Moore Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 5:22 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] [OCC-HEALTH) Fork Lift medicals Hi When carrying out fork lift drivers medicals, does an audio have to be carried out, or is it acceptable that as long as the employee can hear normal speech they are fit. I have been having a discussionss with my colleagues regarding this topic and there seems to be a difference in opinion and what is legally required and best pratice. Your thoughts are would be apprecaited tracey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I ******************************** Please remove this footer before replying. OCC-HEALTH ARCHIVES: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html CONFERENCES AND STUDY DAYS: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING EDUCATION http://www.aohne.org.uk ******************************** Please remove this footer before replying. OCC-HEALTH ARCHIVES: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html CONFERENCES AND STUDY DAYS: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING EDUCATION http://www.aohne.org.uk