OH covers ages 16-65
In her talk on developing a work culture that supports health and wellbeing,
Greta Thornbory, chair of the confer-ence and Occupational Health’s consulting
editor (above), said that OH has a captive audience between the ages of 16 to
65. It must therefore make efforts to identify and work with relevant
stakeholders to develop an effective health and wellbeing strategy. This means
recognising the contribution that each person can make and leading the way for
others to follow.
Go to www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/workwell.menu.htm
Individual liability
If there is an action for negligence within your company, you as an
individual can be called and even prosecuted, warned Siobhan Donnelly, a
partner in the firm of Donnelly and Kinder Solicitors. During a talk on
compliance with the law, she talked delegates through some of the legal issues
that may impact on OH, ranging from workplace accidents to claims for stress
caused by work. And when it comes to rehabilitation, she advised, courts always
want to see if lines of communication were kept open with absent staff, which
again, is often the remit of OH.
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Thousands ill in NI
It is estimated that as many as 70,000 people in Northern Ireland suffer ill
health as a result of work, while 1,000 employees are off work every day, and
60 per cent of adults have a weight problem, said Russell Slack, risk
management consultant at Ask Uz.
