Occupational medicals
Annexure 3 construction medicals
No valid medical, no site access. We do Annexure 3 construction medicals for your crew at your yard or site in our mobile units, or at our clinic in Century City, Cape Town, so your people are certified and ready to work.
What an Annexure 3 medical is, and why you can't skip it
Under the Construction Regulations 2014, every employee on a construction site must have a valid medical certificate of fitness for the work they do. The certificate has to be issued by an occupational health practitioner, in the form set out in Annexure 3 of the regulations. That's why it's called an Annexure 3 medical.
Principal contractors and clients check these certificates. A missing or expired Annexure 3 is one of the most common reasons a safety file is rejected, and one of the most common findings in a site audit. It can keep workers off site and hold up the project.
The medical isn't a generic check-up. It's based on the hazards and risks each employee is exposed to: a scaffolder working at height, an operator on an excavator and a labourer cutting concrete face different risks, so their medicals focus on different things.
What's included
A standard Annexure 3 construction medical includes:
- A signed consent form and medical history questionnaire
- Job-specific questionnaires, including working at heights where relevant
- A physical examination: heart and lungs, reflexes, eyes and ears
- Vision screening (Snellen chart)
- Height, weight and BMI
- Blood pressure
- A standard glucose test
- Audiometry (hearing test)
- Spirometry (lung function test), where the work involves dust or fumes
- A chest X-ray referral for anyone exposed to asbestos, which is required before they can be declared fit
- An Annexure 3 certificate of fitness, signed by a SANC-registered occupational health nurse
How it works
- Send us your crew list. Names, ID numbers, job titles and the tasks each person does on site, such as working at height, operating plant or demolition.
- We match the medical to the job. The tests are based on each person's exposure, as the regulations require.
- We come to you. Our mobile unit sets up at your yard or site. Small numbers can visit our Century City clinic.
- Certificates issued. Each worker receives an Annexure 3 certificate of fitness. We can send copies straight to your safety officer for the safety file.
- Plan renewals. Annexure 3 certificates are valid for up to 12 months, so plan renewals well before they expire.
Plan medicals into your project start
The most common delay we see is a crew arriving for site induction without valid certificates. Build medicals into your mobilisation plan:
- Book medicals as soon as your crew list is confirmed, ideally a week or more before site establishment.
- Check expiry dates for your existing workers. A certificate that expires mid-project needs renewing before it lapses.
- Include subcontractors. The principal contractor is responsible for making sure every worker on site is certified, including those employed by subcontractors.
Who needs one
Every employee who does construction work needs a valid certificate of fitness, including:
- General workers and labourers
- Scaffolders, riggers and anyone working at height
- Plant and machine operators, and drivers on site
- Bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers and welders
- Demolition and asbestos workers
- Site supervisors and foremen who are exposed to site hazards
industries: Building construction · Civil works · Renovations and shopfitting · Electrical and plumbing contractors · Demolition
Legal referencesThe Acts and regulations behind this service
| Law | Section | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Regulations 2014 | Regulation 7(1)(g) | The principal contractor must ensure every employee has a valid medical certificate of fitness specific to the construction work, issued by an occupational health practitioner, in the form of Annexure 3. |
| Construction Regulations 2014 | Annexure 3 | The prescribed format of the medical certificate of fitness. |
| Asbestos regulations under the OHS Act | Medical surveillance provisions | Medical surveillance, including chest X-rays, for employees exposed to asbestos. |
| Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 | Section 8 | Employers must keep the working environment safe and without risk to employees' health. |
What is an Annexure 3 medical?
An Annexure 3 medical is the medical certificate of fitness that construction employees must hold under regulation 7(1)(g) of the Construction Regulations 2014. It's issued by an occupational health practitioner after a medical based on the hazards of the employee's job, and it's recorded in the format set out in Annexure 3 of the regulations.
How long is an Annexure 3 certificate valid?
An Annexure 3 certificate of fitness is valid for a maximum of 12 months. The occupational health practitioner may set a shorter period if a worker's results need closer monitoring. Plan renewals before certificates expire, so workers aren't stopped at the site gate.
Who is responsible for construction medicals, the principal contractor or the subcontractor?
Each employer arranges medicals for its own employees, but the principal contractor must ensure that every employee on site has a valid certificate, including subcontractors' workers. In practice, principal contractors check certificates during safety file approval and site induction.
What tests are included in an Annexure 3 medical?
A typical Annexure 3 medical includes a physical examination, vision screening, blood pressure, a glucose test, audiometry and, where the work involves dust or fumes, spirometry. Workers exposed to asbestos also need a chest X-ray. The exact tests depend on the hazards of each person's job.
Can you do medicals for our whole crew on site?
Yes. Our mobile medical units come to your yard or construction site and test your crew there, with no travel and minimal downtime. Send us your crew list and job titles, and we'll plan the day and send a quote.
Get in touch
Get your crew site-ready
Send us your crew list and start date, and we'll book your Annexure 3 medicals in time for site establishment.
- Phone064 549 5312
- Emailinfo@bmsholdings.co.za
- AddressThe Colosseum, First Floor, Century Way, Century City, Cape Town, 7441