Fitness for work process. Caroline Mcleod Group Head of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Caroline Mcleod Group Head of Occupational Health

Managing your OH provider and your Fitness for work process.

Fit for work process

Impact of a poor fitness for work process:

Key causation: lack of strict guidance , poor comprehension, poor compliance, inconsistency, poor communication. Potential impact:

• Increased AIR.
• Increased cost of absence.
• Increased claims and tribunals.
• Increased turn over of staff.
• Increased risk to health.
• Increased numbers of Riddor submissions.
• HSE prosecution.

Essential Actions :

• Establish a robust pre employment health clearance process. Do not compromise. (HR/Onboarding).
• Ensure your employment application form includes: consent to release medical information to HR/Line manager.
• Clear documented stipulation of your safety critical roles.
• Facilitate a SCM pre start. Ensure your Supply chain are supported/informed and adhere to your requirements.
• Provide a non safety critical employee health clearance process.
• Prompt identification of health issues: Hearing, vision, dermatitis…HAVS ! Hypertension, Diabetes.
• Individual risk assessment / employee compliance with restriction/adjustment.
• Facilitate referral to : OH physician , GP, Optician and follow up for health issues.
• Riddor process: Prompt referral for confirmation of diagnosis, appropriate reporting process. ( avoid Tier3)
• Provide Manager / SHE training awareness and guidance. Employee engagement.
• Implement restrictions /adjustments. Ensure trained supervision to ensure compliance.
• Ensure appropriate health surveillance frequency.
• UTILISE the basics of the hierarchy of controls for the management of risk to health.

Manage your OH provider !

OH providers:

The Companies and The Freelancer.

• The majority of OH providers have little understanding of construction and heavy industry fitness for work

requirements.

• The vast majority Occupational health nurses have little or no understanding of the construction industry, the

risks to health ,the roles, and environmental hazards.

• OH Nurses will not and cannot deliver first aid or emergency treatments.
• The OH provider will have their own interpretation of the safety critical criteria.
• The OH company will not advise your business, they will deliver what YOU ask for.
• The OH company will retain your statistics and when/if you terminate their contract, they will take YOUR records

with them unless you manage them robustly.

• The Freelance nurse: Working independently, without the support of an SEQHOS accredited provider should be

avoided.

OH providers:

How to prepare and what to ask for:

• Establish/agree the content and frequency of the SCM /Sentinel.
• Certificate format. Clear concise explanations. Monitor compliance.
• Establish OH key performance indicators: Appointment time frame, audit process and clinical governance.
• Clearly define your consent to access medical records process.
• Establish OH monthly report: Actions, outcomes and the issues identified.
• Establish report re: results of surveillance and ensure all is retained by the owner company.
• Ensure access to Physicians. Trained HAVs assessors.
• Support, inform, educate your supply chain.

Fit for work process: Inadequate Fit certifications

Fit for work process: Fit certification format.

Information required:

• Operative name and DOB
• Elements screened.
• Restrictions/Adjustments guidance.
• Occupational Health management.
• Primary care intervention.
• Frequency of surveillance
• Recall date.
• Professional validation.
• Additional guidance.

.

Hierarchy of control

Essential steps to manage risks to health……

Health Risk Assessment Isolate / substitute Inform / Educate / Train Fitness for work / SCW PPE Health surveillance Eliminate Redesign / Engineering Controls

Identify Document Implement control measures Supervise Inform & educate

If we don’t

We DO NOT control the risk !

Any questions?

Thank you ……….