ADOSH-SF CoP 5.0 Cancelled: What Abu Dhabi Employers Need to Know About the New DoH Standard

Reviewed 28 October 2026 against the supplied DoH Standard V1 and the live ADPHC cancellation notice. This is an Abu Dhabi occupational-health update, not a universal UAE medical-testing schedule.

Abu Dhabi’s occupational health screening requirements have changed, but employers’ responsibility to protect workers’ health remains. The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) now lists ADOSH-SF CoP 5.0 — Occupational Health Screening and Medical Surveillance as canceled, directing users to the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) replacement standard. 1

The new Occupational Health Screening and Medical Surveillance Standard, Version 1, expressly replaces CoP 5.0 under the DoH Regulatory Framework. It expands occupation-specific requirements and clarifies employer duties in areas such as occupational health risk assessment, licensed service provision, contractor compliance, and medical confidentiality. 2

Where to download the standard—and which date applies

Download the official DoH Occupational Health Screening and Medical Surveillance Standard.

The document reference is DoH/ST/CHS/OHSMS/V1/26/0000002967. Although ADPHC’s cancellation notice refers to the standard as “August 2026” the PDF’s document-control page lists July 2026 as both the publication and effective dates. The August date in the cancellation notice should not be substituted for the PDF’s stated effective month. The current catalogue date was not independently verified during this review. 1 4

The former July 2024 CoP PDF remains available online. Its availability does not override the cancellation notice or the replacement provision in clause 1.2.3 of the new standard. 1 3

Who is covered?

The standard applies to all employers and places of business in Abu Dhabi. Screening and surveillance requirements depend on the worker’s duties, occupational exposures, and the applicable assessment—not merely the employer’s industry label. When another regulator’s requirements conflict, the more stringent requirement applies. (clauses 1.1 and 3.1–3.2) 2

The occupation appendix is broader. The former CoP named six groups: professional drivers, aviators, healthcare workers, professional divers, emergency responders, and seafarers. New Appendix 1A retains those groups and adds construction workers and workers in confined spaces. (Appendix 1A) 2 (Appendix 1) 3

Appendix 1B also identifies food handlers, animal handlers, waste-management workers, barbers, beauticians, health-club workers, and agricultural workers. Its introduction states that these groups may require additional assessment based on workplace risk assessment and the assessing occupational medicine specialist’s discretion. This does not require an identical medical test package for every person in those sectors. (Appendix 1B) 2

Jobs involving radioactive sources are excluded from this standard’s screening and surveillance scope and are subject to the requirements of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation. Professions not listed must still comply with the requirements set by their respective regulators. (section 7) 2

The key changes employers should understand

1. Occupational health assessment and workplace adjustments are more explicit

The former CoP already required risk assessment and exposure-based surveillance. Therefore, risk-based screening is not a new concept introduced in 2026 (sections 1 and 3.1–3.3) 3

The new standard expressly requires employers to conduct hazard identification and risk assessment (HIRA), perform an occupational health risk assessment (OHRA), and implement reasonable workplace, work-practice, or job-duty adjustments in accordance with occupational health advice. A licensed occupational health professional must develop the program’s specific requirements, taking into account the standard and its appendices (clauses 3.3.2 and 3.4.1) 2

It also expressly requires that screening and surveillance be personalized for people of determination, taking into account their needs and job-specific risks, while complying with ADOSH-SF CoP 16 (clause 3.4.7) 2

2. Licensed occupational health provision is more clearly specified

Employers must arrange services through either an in-house DoH-licensed clinic staffed by licensed occupational health professionals or a contracted DoH-licensed, Abu Dhabi-based occupational health service provider. (clause 3.4.2) 2

The standard defines an occupational health professional as a DoH-licensed occupational medicine specialist or a DoH-licensed physician or nurse with the required privileges and additional occupational medicine training, working under specialist supervision. Relevant profession-specific regulatory approval may also be required. (definition 2.13 and section 4.4) 2

The former CoP already required involvement by licensed physicians and specialist supervision for listed occupations. The change is a more explicit service delivery and professional-governance structure—not the first introduction of licensing. (clause 3.1.1(e)) 3

3. Contractor compliance must be checked before and during deployment

Clause 3.4.9 expressly requires employers with screening and surveillance programs to ensure that covered contractors comply with the relevant requirements before and during deployment. 2

For employers, this means that contractor mobilization and ongoing assurance should address applicable occupational health requirements while avoiding unnecessary access to confidential clinical information.

4. Confidentiality, consent and fitness-for-work reporting are clarified

The new standard restricts access to medical information and occupational health records to licensed occupational health professionals who are contracted or employed in-house by the employer. This differs from the former CoP’s provision, which allowed an OSH staff member or another employee to be assigned medical record maintenance duties (clause 3.7.1) 2 (clause 3.5(a)) 3 Clause 3.7.4 separately addresses secure storage and access by medical personnel or medical programme managers; apply it alongside the licensed-professional privilege restriction rather than as general HR access.

Occupational health professionals provide employers with work-related advice, including fitness status, restrictions, reassignment, referrals, and return-to-work criteria. Clinical disclosure must be limited to information relevant to managing work-related health and safety impacts and is subject to the employee-rights provisions. HR should not treat this as permission to obtain unrestricted medical files. (clauses 3.5.3–3.5.4 and 3.7.7–3.7.8) 2

Employee refusal rights are also more specific. The standard allows an informed, documented refusal of screening or medical disclosure that is not mandated by applicable laws and regulations. It does not provide an unrestricted right to refuse legally required screening. (clause 3.6.2) 2

5. Medical-record retention uses a different period and starting point

The former CoP required medical records to be retained throughout employment and for 30 years afterward. The new standard refers to the DoH Data Storage and Retention Standard and sets a minimum retention period of 25 years from the last health procedure, with longer periods where other regulatory instruments require them. (section 4) 3 (clause 3.7.3) 2

This is not simply a five-year reduction: the starting point also changes. Employers should review retention schedules with their occupational health provider rather than automatically deleting older records. Records related to investigations or legal proceedings must still be preserved. (clause 3.7.6) 2

6. Occupation-specific examinations and sample forms have changed

The new appendices include substantive clinical changes, not merely renumbering. Construction and confined-space workers now have dedicated assessment entries. Healthcare workers are regrouped by exposure setting, with separate pre-placement and periodic requirements. Driver and equipment-operator groups also have revised investigation and examination intervals. (Appendix 1A) 2 (Appendix 1) 3

For example, the new Appendix 1A specifies periodic assessments for driver/operator Groups 2 and 3 every three years below age 45 and annually above age 45; the table does not state the interval at exactly age 45, which must be confirmed with the provider, with annual assessments for restricting conditions. Employers should have their provider verify the applicable group and licensing requirements rather than carry forward an old examination schedule unchanged. (Appendix 1A, professional driver Groups 2–3) 2

The former separate questionnaire, medical examination form, and sample seafarer certificate are replaced by a combined sample Occupational Health History & Physical Examination Form. It includes expanded fitness outcomes and specialist sign-off provisions. Because it is a sample form, employers should not assume that every field creates a universal testing obligation. (Appendix 3) 2 (Appendices 3–5) 3

What requirements continue?

Cancellation of CoP 5.0 does not exempt an employer from occupational health screening or medical surveillance. The replacement standard continues employer-funded screening and surveillance, including associated time and travel costs; baseline examinations before work starts, with a 30-day completion provision if work has already begun; and periodic examinations based on applicable risks and requirements. (clauses 3.3.1 and 3.4.8) 2 (clauses 3.1.1(h) and 3.4) 3

It also retains at least an annual evaluation of surveillance data to identify work-related health effects and improve controls. An annual review of program data should not be confused with a blanket requirement that every employee receive the same annual medical examination. (clauses 3.2.3 and 3.3.1.2) 2

How employers should respond now

A practical response is to review the existing program against the replacement standard with the appointed occupational health provider. The review should:

Update current references. Replace CoP 5.0 as the current authority in the legal register and relevant procedures, while retaining historical documents for traceability.

Review coverage and examination schedules. Check job roles, exposures, newly listed occupations, and existing medical assessments against the new appendices.

Confirm service-provider arrangements. Check licensing, Abu Dhabi service provision, professional privileges, and any profession-specific approvals.

Strengthen contractor and privacy controls. Verify relevant requirements before and during contractor deployment, and separate work-fitness information from confidential clinical records.

Review costs, records, and workplace adjustments. Ensure employer funding, appropriate retention, and implementation of occupational health advice.

These practical implementation recommendations are based on the standard’s requirements and are not a substitute for the provider’s clinical assessment or for directions from the relevant regulator.

Transition periods and enforcement

Clause 4.1.3 allows ADPHC, in coordination with other authorities and stakeholders, to set effective dates, grace periods for existing employees, and compliance expectations for new hires, contractors, and renewal examinations. It does not establish a universal grace period. Employers should confirm whether any sector-specific implementation instructions apply rather than assume a general postponement. 2

The replacement provision does not establish a blanket rule that every existing medical certificate is automatically invalid or that every employee must immediately repeat all tests. Existing assessments should be reviewed against the revised requirements and any applicable regulatory instructions. (clauses 3.3.2 and 4.1.3) 2

Section 6 provides for sanctions through DoH, ADPHC, and relevant profession-licensing authorities under their applicable regulations. The standard does not specify a universal fine amount. Replacing an outdated document reference is therefore only part of compliance: the employer’s actual screening, surveillance, and worker-protection arrangements must also meet current requirements. 2

This article provides general compliance information. Individual medical assessments, sector-specific obligations, and any transition arrangements should be confirmed with a licensed occupational health provider and the relevant authority.

1. ADPHC CoP directory — CoP 5.0 cancellation notice (verified 28 October 2026)
2. DoH Occupational Health Screening and Medical Surveillance Standard V1, July 2026
3. Historical CoP 5.0 V4.0, July 2024 — cancelled; retained for comparison only
4. DoH standards catalogue — listing date not independently verified