There are some occupations which are restricted to people who have epilepsy either because of statutory barriers or health and safety issues. These include:

Pilot

Applicants must have no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy.

(Manual of Civil Aviation Medicine).

Ambulance Driver

Applicants must have been free from any epileptic seizures and off anti-epileptic medication for a minimum of 10 years. The must pass a medical examination.

PSV Regulations)

Army

Applicants are automatically rejected on grounds of epilepsy.

(Army Act 1955 – reviewed regularly)

Navy

Medical regulations state that the occurrence of seizures at any age debars entry.

Royal Air Force

Proven epilepsy is a bar to recruitment (with a few exceptions).

(Air Force Acts 1955 and others)

Coast Guard

There are no specific epilepsy regulations, but applicants do require a ‘high standard of fitness’ and must pass a medical examination.

Diver

Any history of seizures (apart from febrile convulsions), will preclude the granting of a Certificate of Fitness to Dive.

(Diving Operations at Work Regulations 1981). (SI 1981/399)

Fire Brigade

A history of epilepsy renders a person unsuitable for operational fire duties

(Fire Service Act 1947)

Those who have been free of seizures since childhood may be considered individually

Merchant Seafarer

There is an absolute barrier for applicants with a history of seizures since the age of 5 years.

(DOT Merchant Shipping Regulations 1983)

Police

Applicants currently having seizures are not recruited. Those with a past history are dealt with on an individual basis. This also applies to traffic wardens and drivers.

(Police Regulations 1979)

Prison Service

A recent history of epilepsy debars applicants for posts at Prison Officers Grade on the grounds of security. Applicants to other grades of prison service are considered individually.

Teacher

Applicants for teacher training should have been free from seizures for 1 year at the time of application.

(Physical and Mental Fitness to Teach of Teachers and of Entrants to Initial Teacher Training – Circular Number 13/93 Department of Education).

Train Driver

There is an absolute barrier if seizures have occurred after the age of 5 years.

(London Regional Transport and British Rail).

In some occupations, epilepsy developing during employment will be considered on an individual basis. In addition to those occupations to which statutory barriers apply, there are some jobs which may have special hazards for people whose epilepsy is not fully controlled.

Examples are working:

· At unprotected heights

· Near open water

· With high voltage or open circuit electricity

· With regular overseas tours of duty (e.g. some Civil Service posts).

· With machinery in motion which can not be guarded efficiently

· Near chemicals, unguarded fires, ovens and hot plates

· On/near moving vehicles

· On isolated sites

· Handling valuable fragile equipment

Nevertheless, many people who have epilepsy can be found doing most of these jobs. For example, a person whose seizures occur during sleeping hours or on first waking should not need to experience restrictions on employment (except occupations with statutory barriers), apart from perhaps where an early start is essential.