The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and Health & Safety Commission (HSC) could get an expanded remit to promote healthier workplaces, the Government has suggested.
Minister for Work, Jane Ken-nedy, told Occupational Health’s sister newspaper Personnel Today that both bodies had a “fantastic” record when it came to creating safe workplaces, but possibly lacked “sufficient focus” on promoting healthy environments.
“[The Government] is beginning to develop its role in advising businesses on how to provide healthier workplaces and what to do with staff who appear to suffering from illnesses they claim are derived from work,” she said.
Pilot schemes looking at how occupational health services might take on the role of signing people off work are due to start this month in the West Midlands.
