What are the occupational health regulations in the UK?

What is meant by occupational health?

Occupational health (OH) is an area of medicine dealing specifically with job-related illness and injuries. Occupational health regulations deal with both the prevention and treatment in the event of health issues caused by work.

Examples of occupational health risks

Here are some examples of occupational health risks. Workers who spend large amounts of time outdoors during the summer months — like landscapers and construction workers — have an increased risk of health issues as a result of sun exposure. In many lines of work, being outdoors is unavoidable and so measures cannot be taken to reduce the amount of time in the sun. When outdoor activities are inevitable, workers are at risk of sunburn, dehydration, overheating and UV radiation exposure.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 were introduced to protect workers from exposure to noise which can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus. Similarly, the handling of and exposure to lead can result in health issues for workers so the Control of Lead at Work legislation was formed in 2002. Risks of radiation in the workplace and prolonged exposure to ionising radiations can have serious consequences for workers, so the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 were formed to introduce a standard of safety and control measures to protect workers from such risks.

Healthcare workers and those working in the beauty and cleaning industries have an increased occupational health risk of dermatitis — the most common occupational skin disease. This is due to the prolonged exposure to detergents, toiletries and chemicals. Wet work — the name given to jobs that involve frequent or prolonged contact with water — also increases the risk of dermatitis and other skin conditions. Wet work is a broad term encompassing many roles across various industries like plumbing, hairdressing and hospitality.

What are the UK’s occupational health regulations?

While not a specific legal requirement, much of what is considered to be occupational health regulations are covered in other employment laws. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 covers most of the occupational health and safety legislation. As individual legislation covers different instances of occupational health, it’s important that companies include occupational health in their risk assessments to determine the unique risks in their industry and work environment. This provides a starting point for which legislation will be most applicable and which guidance most helpful.

For instances of outdoor work and sun exposure, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) put together the sun protection six-point code, a guide on how employers can help protect their employees. The HSE also published a leaflet on preventing contact dermatitis and urticaria (another skin disease) at work, which includes reference to the Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations. In all cases, prevention is better than cure when you’re considering occupational health regulations in the UK. This legislation highlights the importance of carrying out a thorough risk assessment and addressing any potential risks in advance to avoid workplace illness and injury.

Who is responsible for occupational health?

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, employers have a legal obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of employees. This guide to health and safety regulation in Great Britain notes that most duties are expressed as goals or targets “which are to be met ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’, or through exercising ‘adequate control’ or taking ‘appropriate’ (or ‘reasonable’) steps.” This leaves the onus on the person in charge to make judgments about the level of risk and suitability of control measures.

Much of the literature relevant to occupational health regulations uses a common-sense approach. Individual risk assessments for staff should be collaboratively developed, and the relevant employees consulted on the process. For example, a worker returning to work after sick leave may require adjustments to their role and working environment. A manager cannot know the correct course of action without consulting with that member of staff about their specific needs, so liaising with them throughout the process will help make the occupational health precautions thorough and accurate.

While management is responsible for setting an example and communicating the UK occupational health regulations, workers are also accountable in the process. Once equipped with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves, workers must comply for the safety measures to be effective. Management must continually review and assess the risk assessment in line with occupational health regulations.

Occupational health regulations in the event of illness or injury