According to a survey conducted by health and wellness provider BHSF, 80 percent of Human Resources decision-makers claimed they provided access to Occupational Health to their employees, but only 26 percent were familiar with any leading providers of Occupational Health. The majority of respondents linked Occupational Health with returning employees on sick leave to work rather than preventing absence through early intervention.
Employers should remember occupational health services not just when an employee is absent from work, but also when they first have concerns about the employee so that they can receive guidance and aid in properly addressing such concerns. Such guidance will be tailored to the management of occupational health issues, as well as any assistance and/or reasonable changes that should be addressed.
Occupational Health reports can also be valuable when selecting candidates, especially if health issues have come up during the recruitment process. They can help to guarantee that the procedure is conducted equitably and that any potential discrimination claims are minimised.
Occupational Health teams keep your employees physically and emotionally healthy at work. They control any workplace dangers that are likely to result in work-related illness, as well as assist you in determining the nature of an illness and providing practical guidance on how to facilitate your employees' return to work.
Employers are frequently faced with situations in which medical information is required to establish an employee's fitness to return to work, fitness to remain in their current function, or ability to attend a meeting.
Employers seeking advice are frequently directed to specialised occupational health (OH) practitioners. However, while referrals to OH are common, when the report is produced, there may be controversy between the employer and the medical practitioner.
Employers should always ensure that an up-to-date consent paperwork from the employee is obtained before making a referral to OH. Many firms make it a contractual necessity for employees to give such consent and participate in a medical evaluation process.
If such a contractual right does not exist and the employee refuses to provide consent, it should be emphasised to the individual that, while this will prevent the employer from making a fully informed decision about the position, it will not stall the process, and a decision will be made based on available information. As a result, the employee must understand why it is in their best interests to consent to the referral and what this entails.
All firms must identify workplace hazards, assess the risks posed by those hazards, and apply control measures to limit those risks. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 define this. All organisations must do risk assessments; but, if you have 5 or fewer employees, these do not have to be documented. However, it is generally excellent practise to document this in order to properly express it.
Occupational health and safety refers to programmes, policies, and procedures that protect the safety, well-being, and health of everyone who works or is employed. The overall purpose of any health and safety programme is to establish the safest working environment possible and to reduce the risk of workplace accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Occupational health and safety also safeguards the health of customers, the general public, and anybody else who may be harmed by the working environment.
Every organisation, no matter what they do, is responsible for maintaining workplace health and safety requirements. If a corporation does not follow these principles, they may be held accountable for any damages or accidents that result.
Workplace health and safety protects the health of clients, the general community, and anybody else who may be in the same environment. When health and safety requirements are followed, they help to prevent accidents and reduce the risk of employee injury and disease. Medical bills, sick leave, and disability benefits might also be reduced.
Regardless of what it does, any firm is responsible for following workplace health and safety rules. These standards are explicit, and if a company fails to follow them, they may be held liable for any damage or accidents that occur. Furthermore, businesses have a financial and legal obligation to follow safety and health requirements. They also have a moral obligation to guarantee the safety of their personnel.
