Do I need to test employees for isocyanate exposure?

Yes — if your employees are working with isocyanates, especially in tasks like spraying, coating, or foaming, then testing for exposure isn’t just helpful — it may be required to stay compliant with UK health and safety regulations.

There are two kinds of testing to consider:

1. Air monitoring, to check the actual level of airborne isocyanates during tasks. This is the primary method used to evaluate workplace exposure against legal limits.

2. Health surveillance, which involves regular check-ups or questionnaires to detect early signs of sensitisation or breathing problems. This is particularly important when workers are exposed to substances that can cause asthma.

While not every employee needs to be tested all the time, you should have a monitoring strategy in place for higher-risk tasks. It helps you spot issues early, improve controls, and protect workers’ long-term health.