The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) wants small and medium enterprises to test a new model for improving occupational health.

The HSE estimates that 96,000 workers whose current or most recent job was in construction suffered from ill health caused or made worse by their work.

The HSE has developed an cccupational health management model providing advice on managing musculo-skeletal disorders (MSD), hand arm vibration (HAVS), noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), and dermatitis.

MSD affects 5% of the construction workforce. The prevalence of HAVS is six times the all industry average and NIHL is double the all-industry average.

Around 10% of the bricklaying industry leave their profession due to contact dermatitis from wet cement.

Tackling occupational health issues is a key area for the HSE and its new chief inspector of construction, Stephen Williams (see interview).

Source

Construction Manager