5
Occupational
Health
Promoting and enhancing the health of
employees is vital. Occupational Health
is the activity aimed at the promotion of
the physical, mental and social wellbeing
of workers in all occupations by
preventing ill health, managing health
risks and adapting work to people.
Steps must be taken to prevent ill
health, promote good health and
address any changes to the health
status of employees.
Preventing ill health
Health risks must be assessed
and managed to prevent
occupational illness.
Risks to consider include those
arising from:
l contact with hazardous chemicals
l contact with biological agents
l exposure to physical hazards
(such as noise or radiation)
l poor ergonomics
l work related stress
If an assessment shows that any hazard
poses an unacceptable risk, steps must
be taken to reduce it immediately.
Promoting good health
The need for programs to promote
employee health must be carefully
considered, and where the need is
demonstrated such programs should
be developed.
Programs must be:
l sensitive to local cultures
l tailored to the needs of employees
at each site/location
Addressing changes in
health status
Employees must undergo a medical
review if they become temporarily or
permanently unable to do their normal
work. Steps must be taken to allow
them to come back to work when they
are well enough, with either temporarily
or permanently restricted work activities
as appropriate.