Did you know the Health and Safety Executive advises employers that they have a legal duty to implement a health surveillance programme if their employees are exposed to certain health risks. The programme should ensure that procedures are in place to detect early signs of work-related ill health, with the results swiftly acted upon.
For certain health risks, there is a statutory duty on employers to provide occupational health surveillance, although this can be fulfilled by appointing a competent person (such as a Safewell occupational healthcare provider).
Health surveillance allows for early identification of ill health and helps identify any corrective action needed. Health surveillance may also be required by law if your employees are exposed to noise or vibration, solvents, fumes, dusts, biological agents and other substances hazardous to health, or work in compressed air.
Health surveillance is required in any workplace where each of the following are met:
The work is known to harm health in some way
There are valid ways of detecting the disease or condition
There is a reasonable likelihood that damage to health may occur under the particular conditions at work
The surveillance is likely to benefit the employee
The technique of investigation is of low risk to the employee
Occupational Health The Next Step
The occupational health assessment is used to advise management on an employee’s health issues in relation to their work, and to make recommendations on reasonable adjustments that could be considered to ensure a safe/healthy working environment for that employee.
Safewell’s occupational health assessments are confidential; a report will be written with the employees consent to be sent to the employer. Each report is tailored to the employee and their individual situation. The report will include advice on any medical conditions and the effect on work, symptoms, prognosis, and likelihood of recovery, what adjustments could/should be considered, and over a suggested timeframe.
We have worked with Safewell for many years and are retained clients, so we have developed an excellent working relationship with the team. However, this really came into its own when Covid 19 appeared.
As a Plumbing and Heating business, we were able to carry on working during the lockdown but only for responding to emergencies. We were obviously very concerned about the health and safety of our employees and before we even had chance to get in touch with Safewell, they had emailed us offering their assistance. It is hard to put down on paper how that made us feel - we like everyone else felt totally at sea, which way to turn, what to do? But Safewell were there guiding, supporting and being totally brilliant. Their attention to detail is very impressive and reassuring and we feel able to ask lots of questions without feeling silly.
During the pandemic Safewell helped us to write risk assessments, safety procedures and protocols. They kept in touch regularly, issuing new guidance as soon as it appeared and checking in with us. They held group Q&A sessions over Zoom which were helpful, and knowing other businesses were facing the same challenges and having the opportunity to discuss issues was invaluable. Their help during the preparation for a full return to work was brilliant, they enabled us to be fully prepared and feel in control, and when we had our first case of Covid within the team, because we had planned our response it felt ok.
I think our team felt very reassured by our robust approach and that our office was Covid secure. We are extremely grateful to all the team at Safewell
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