New guidance to encourage better management of occupational health risks has been launched by the construction industry.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued more than 200 health related enforcement notices during its recent construction inspection initiative, and the HSE is urging the industry to put an end to the hundreds of construction workers that die of occupational diseases every month.
There is apparently widespread misunderstanding of what 'occupational health' means in the construction sector, and employers have a misguided perception that health is more difficult to manage than safety.
The new guide gives practical advice on what ‘health risk’ means for the construction industry, and the role of occupational health service provision in preventing or controlling those risks.
“There have been huge advances in improving safety in the construction sector over the last 15 years but the industry has yet to generate such advances in improving the picture in occupational health,” explained Shelley Frost, Executive Director – Policy at the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
“Every week, 100 people die from construction-related ill health in the UK,” she added. “Less than half of construction workers also stay employed in the industry until they are 60.”
“This new guide raises awareness of the occupational health issues in construction, demystifies how to best manage them and provides information as to where firms can get help and assistance,” she said.
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