Occupational Health in Construction B&CE’s findings for what the industry needs Andrew Percy Relationship Manager B&CE 30 November 2016
Agenda • What is occupational health? • Our research with the industry • What we think the industry needs from an occupational health scheme • Our next steps
What is occupational health?
What is occupational health? Rehabilitation Medical tests? Occupational into the Hygiene? workplace? Lifestyle choices? Health Surveillance? Occupational Workplace Wellbeing? hazards and risks?
What occupational health actually is The core principles Fit for Work Risk Management process Occupational Identifying and supporting Health Health risk where a worker’s health assessment may affect their work Health Controls monitoring Wellbeing Promoting physical and psychosocial aspects of health
Workplace risk management cycle The controls Occupational Hygiene scientifically identifies workplace hazards and exposures, resulting in risk Use findings to mitigate Implement Health workplace hazards and Surveillance programme exposures and therefore risks Apply evidence base to industry to identify any Record and analyse data trends, changes and affects of the workplace on health
What have we found out?
What the industry has told us In depth research to listen and understand what the industry needs from an occupational health scheme Forums and depth Online survey with Meetings with interviews with larger employers Occupational Health contractors and industry Service Providers representatives (OHSPs) 2 forums & 8 interviews 38 meetings Over 200 responses
What the industry has told us The ripple effect… Lack of understanding and clarity • Construction industry doesn’t understand OH and the needs of the Inconsistency industry • • No standard method to ensure complying with Employers don’t know how to Inefficiency interpret OH obligations regulations and best practice • Understanding gap between OHSPs • • Inconsistency means it’s costly for the Provision is varied and delivered through and the construction industry industry: different quality standards Poor outcomes • Repeat medical processes • Role vs risk approach • • Inconsistency and Inefficiency drive poor outcomes Weak consumer power • Differing requirements of client, principle • • Poor product design Employer scheme is sub-optimal • Time and resource needed for contractors and supply chain • Construction worker lacks effective long-term set up and administration oversight of their health • Construction industry lacks the foundation of a model to advance the health of construction workers • Inability to monitor long-term trends and emerging health issues
The industry’s recipe for a successful model What we should be targeting… The industry has told us they need: Understanding and clarity • Simple and straightforward educating Consistency of the industry (employers and OHSPs): • Engagement with the industry so the new model • This is what OH is… Efficiency becomes an expected way of working • • A national, standardised scheme This is why we need it… • A model that informs and empowers the whole • Good outcomes supply chain and gives more control • A clear, simple model that complements existing This is how to do it… • A portable health record containing ‘need to know OH provision both from providers and in-house • A framework based on risks rather than roles • This is how to comply… information’ but not ‘another card’ • with a minimum level of Health Surveillance A menu of health checks to cover these risks as a • Personally identifiable clinical data held on a database minimum and best practice provided by data analysis for the • Help for employers to become better buyers of benefit of the industry OH and know the value of OH • An approach so employers and employees see the • A cost-effective solution that removes duplicate benefit of taking part health checks and admin, especially for small employers
What does the industry need?
Our conclusion We think the new solution should… • Act as a minimum underpin for employer compliance – ‘first line of defence’ • Provide a minimum standard across the industry; potentially based on risk-based approach, rather than job roles • Help the employer manage additional risks, by providing education, support, guidance and best practice advice • Contain a portable employee owned digital record • Allow for the standard model to evolve to incorporate enhanced occupational health and wellbeing offerings Through solving the problems for employers, the solution will deliver improved health for construction workers
Our next steps
Our next steps What we aim to achieve Engage Agreement Commitment Discussing with the Get agreement from Get buy-in from the industry what the key industry industry to support future occupational representatives and us in developing the health model should OH professionals on model look like the new model
Any questions?
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