Introduction -How Health Surveillance and Occupational Hygienist Services Interlink Ensuring a safe and healthy working environment should be a top priority for all workplaces. This is an obligation enshrined in various pieces of legislation. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) (COSHH) 2003 require employers to protect workers from hazardous substances, and this may involve a combination of...

An ageing population exists in the United Kingdom and this is thought to be due to an increased life expectancy alongside low birth rates. This means that there will be a reduction in the number of young people available to work and an increasing pressure on employees to work for longer1. In fact, approximately 1 in 7 employees are aged...

What is Occupational Health? Occupational Health is a branch of healthcare that is specifically involved in assessing the impact of health on work and work on health. Occupational Health specialists provide employees and employers with clear, impartial specialist advice on how employee health is affecting their ability to work, or how work is affecting employee health. The Role of Occupational Health Technician An Occupational...

HEALTHY EATING AS A SHIFT WORKER – IS IT POSSIBLE? Are your work shifts negatively affecting your eating habits? Do you find it easy or difficult to eat and drink healthy during shift work? Some of you may be thinking yes and others no. A recent study found that shift work affects many areas of workers’ lives, with an impact...

Catherine, our Lead Health and Wellbeing Coordinator has collated a number of useful links for you to check during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Pillar 1: Mental Health Support Free Mental Health Counselling (image below) A-Z Mental Health Services Bereavement Self-help Guide NHS - One you - Staying at Home Tips PHA - 5 ways to mental wellbeing at home WHO - Stress Tips for Adults WHO...

Health Matters Occupational Health – Important Information We are taking steps to play our part in the government’s message of social distancing and to help manage the spread of Coronavirus in NI/ROI. Occupational Health is of vital importance to you in this business critical time – now more than ever you will have access to the highly specialised and detailed workplace health...

When we think about exercise, we relate it to our bodies getting leaner, fitter and building up our muscles. But what about the effect is has on our most important organ – our brain? We often neglect the tremendous mental health benefits of exercise and it’s becoming more apparent that regular exercise and good mental health go hand in hand. Exercise can help treat a...

Today (Monday 16th March 2020), we are acknowledging the eight annual Nutrition & Hydration Week (N & H Week). The awareness day aims to highlight the importance and benefits of healthy nutrition and hydration practises. Nutrition in the UK & Ireland Poor nutrition and obesity are all too common in the UK and Ireland. In fact, according to Cancer Research UK, more than 6 in 10 adults...

Employers need to be aware that asthma is not just caused by dust, house mites or genetic inheritance, but the workplace can cause asthma and make symptoms worse for existing asthmatics. Occupational factors account for about 1 in 6 cases of asthma in adults of working age with almost 90% of those cases being attributed to an allergic response to something...

The workplace needs to be as safe a place as possible for those working in it. PPE exists to help safeguard the well-being and safety of workers, and is vital in terms of best practice and risk mitigation. PPE includes items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment...