WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CONSTRUCTION

Introduction

• A ‘not for profit’ industry scheme raising standards of workplace health risk management to improve the long-term health of the UK construction workforce

• How are the Construction Sector dealing with Workplace Health Issues

• What are the Key Health Issues

• Understanding the Work Environment

• Challenges of Working with construction employers & employees

• Delivering Quality Services

Construction Sector

• Approx. 2.3 million workforce (5% of total workforce)

• 250,000 employers• 82% employing less than 5 workers• Over 350 ‘Trade Bodies & Associations• Diversity – from domestic to major infrastructure

projects

Construction Survey:

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20%

40%

60%

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YesNo

Do you think the construction industry in general treats employee health issues differently from safety issues?

Large

Medium

Small

Safety versus Health

42 workers killed whilst working in construction

Construction work related ill health deaths

5500 DEATHS FROM WORKPLACE ILL HEALTH

Putting it into perspective

• Reported Road Deaths in Great Britain, 2013

1,713

Challenges of working with construction

Employers & Employees

Traditional Health Issues

Trends in Health Issues

• Occupational cancers• 56% of cancer registrations in men are attributable to

work in the construction industry (mainly mesotheliomas, lung, bladder and non-melanoma skin cancers)

• Mental health • Fatigue risk management• Rehabilitation

• 54% of our workforce are NOT still working in construction at the age of 60

What about OH Provision?

• Knowledge & understanding of the

working environment

Diversity of Working Environment

OH Service Delivery

• Standards of delivery teams – on site nurses (RGN’s, A&E)

• Consistency of approach• Marketing & Selling to construction

Well-being v Workplace Health• Medically focussed v multi disciplinary teams

• Occupational Hygienists• Physiotherapists• Ergonomists

What are Construction Doing?

• Funded an industry scheme – Constructing Better Health• Provide support and advice particularly to SME’s & Micros• Set Industry Standards for ‘fitness for work’• Developed online toolkits to support employers• Linked industry database for clinical data• On-line access to fitness for work outcomes at site level• Accreditation of Occupational Health Services

National Construction Adviceline

Summary

• OH Risk management in construction is still the

poor relation to safety risk management• OH Service Providers need to look at the

way

in which they•sell to construction• take a more multi disciplinary approach•understand the work environment and

organisational structure of construction