Useful information before your occupational health visit (PDF)
Mandatory medical appointments
Regardless of the type or duration of contract, all employed members of personnel (MPE - Staff/Graduate/Fellow) must undergo an entry medical visit.
CERN's entry medical visit includes the following elements:
- Blood tests (if stated in the invitation)
- an interview with a nurse where the following tests will be carried out (if necessary):
- an eyesight test.
- a hearing test.
- an electrocardiogram.
- verification of your vaccination status.
- a consultation by the occupational health doctor.
Complementary exams can be prescribed by the occupational health doctor depending on the occupational risks that you might be exposed to.
The schedule of the next periodic medical visits will be determined at the end of this consultation and may be modified according to events in the private or professional life of the person concerned.
For this visit, please bring your vaccination record or copies thereof, as well as your corrective lenses if applicable.
All Staff members will receive an invitation for a periodic medical visit, accompanied by a blood test if necessary depending on the exposure to occupational risks.
The periodic medical visit includes the following elements:
- blood test (if stated in the invitation)
- an interview with a nurse where the following tests will be carried out (if necessary):
- an eyesight test
- a hearing test
- an electrocardiogram
- verification of your vaccination status
- a consultation with the occupational health doctor.
Complementary exams can be prescribed by the occupational physician depending on the occupational risks that you might be exposed to.
For this visit, please bring your vaccination record or copies thereof, as well as your corrective lenses if applicable.
A follow-up visit is mandatory:
- following an accident at work, while commuting or an occupational illness.
- following an absence for which the medical certificate contains reservations regarding one’s ability to work.
- following an absence of more than 21 days following an illness or a non-occupational accident.
MPEs (employed members of personnel) must contact the medical service secretariat (Tel: 73186) to book an appointment (according to the Staff rules and Regulations, Chapter II - Section 4 Article 20).
In order to prepare one’s return to work, a pre-return visit can be arranged with the occupational health doctor to determine necessary measures (set up of one’s work station, of one’s working hours, of any restrictions where applicable, etc.)
MPEs must undergo a departure medical visit as stated in article RII 4.18 b) of the Staff Rules and Regulations.
Failing this, the procedures relating to recognising a disability or an occupational illness or accident may be affected (because the Organization lacks evidence of the medical situation at the end of the contract).
Cf.: admin e-guide, brochure "When you leave CERN".
Other appointments
The employed members of personnel and students, can ask or be referred for a medical visit for work-related problems.
A medical visit related to the work station may be proposed by the occupational doctor following a medical examination, or by the infirmary personnel following treatment at the infirmary. The occupational doctor or the infirmary personnel then carries out a study of the work station, sometimes with the help of a specialist from the HSE Unit.
You can also initiate such a visit by contacting the medical service secretariat and book an appointment with the occupational doctor beforehand.
In the event of planned duty travel to a country at endemic risk, contact the medical service secretariat as soon as possible. Please make sure to contact International SOS beforehand to obtain preliminary advice and information, as provided by the admin e-guide. This input is required for the medical consultation with CERN’s occupational doctor.
If a vaccination is necessary, it must be carried out at least 4 weeks before departure. The necessary vaccines and medications will be prescribed after the medical consultation.
Vaccinations can be carried out in the infirmary, except for yellow fever which requires a reference vaccination center, such as the tropical medicine and travel department of the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
Medical visits for special skills concern: work on lasers (IIIb and IV), work in the presence of magnetic fields, work on moving parts, work in confined spaces, work with hoists or traveling cranes, etc.