Occupational Health should aim at – the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well being of workers in all occupations; the prevention among workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; placing and maintenance of a worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological equipment and, to summarise, the adaption of work to man and of each man to his job.

The Society Of Occupational Medicine

The following factors have a far reaching impact on businesses:

ABSENCE MANAGMENT
Workplace injury and illness have far-reaching consequences for employees and employers alike. For example excessive stress levels and absence can weigh not only on the affected workers themselves, but on colleagues too. Strategic steps taken to reduce employee absence minimise risks to work productivity and maximise the performance of your business.  

Legislation relating to the workplace, such as laws regarding Health & Safety, Discrimination and Human Rights has increased in recent years, placing more pressure on companies to address the Occupational Health needs of their employees. This, combined with economic restructuring, downsizing and the recognised costs of both absence and poor productivity, serves to focus employers on the importance of safeguarding well-being in the workplace.

The potential hazards in the workplace which could endanger your employees and expose your company to legal claims fall under the following categories:

• Psychosocial: organisational issues, personal work stress factors, issues relating to work politics (e.g. power, interpersonal relationships, discrimination).
• Physical: noise, vibration, radiation, extremes of temperature, risk of accidental injury or death (e.g. car accidents).
• Chemical: dust, fumes, vapours, gases, other chemicals, indoor air pollution (including tobacco smoke), work-related carcinogens.
• Biological: medical (clinical) waste, other organic waste materials, infectious diseases (e.g. leptospirosis, hepatitis, laboratory pathogens).
• Ergonomic: manual handling, repetitive motion, general job/work design.

Cost Risks

The potential cost to your business from loss of employee productivity can be an unforeseen and sudden liability:

Direct costs

• Lost work time.

• Damage to people and/or equipment.

• Legal action due to non-compliance with current legislation associated medical costs.

• Compensation costs.

• Costs of medical treatment to the NHS or Private Health sector Indirect costs.

• Hiring of additional staff to replace sick or injured staff.

• Retraining staff to take on the vacant role.

• Repairing/replacing equipment that is damaged or unfit for purpose.

• Effects on staff morale.

• Lost productivity.

• Shut down time during any investigation.