What is a primary beneficiary of a written medical surveillance program?

• A. To monitor health effects of exposures and detect early signs of occupational illness among workers.
• B. To manage inventory control.
• C. To improve advertising for the company.
• D. To replace the need for PPE.

Answer: (A)

Written medical surveillance programs are meant to track health effects from workplace exposures and catch early signs of occupational illness. This focus lets health professionals evaluate workers promptly, adjust exposures or work practices as needed, and intervene before conditions worsen. In practice, this protects the workers’ health and provides a clear signal when controls or protections should be improved. The other listed purposes aren’t what medical surveillance does—inventory control, advertising, or replacing personal protective equipment—so they don’t fit the function of a health-monitoring program.