Occupational health programs aim to anticipate and prevent health problems caused by work. All companies should have in place appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organization, control, monitoring and review of the necessary preventive and protective measures for workers, taking into account the activities the worker will be undertaking.
 

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published high level guidance on this vital issue - ‘Guidance on Occupational Health’ (IMCA SEL 033) - which provides guidance on the physical and mental condition of all people at the workplace be they employees, contractors or visitors, and their protection from harm in the form of injury or disease. The new document is available for free downloading from the IMCA website at www.imca-int.com and is also available in printed form.

“Occupational health programs aim to anticipate and prevent health problems caused by work,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler. “Protecting your work force is a vital component of risk management. Our members companies employ more than 250,000 staff globally, so the work they could, and should, undertake looking after their workforce is a key issue.

“Companies should have in place appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organization, control, monitoring and review of the necessary preventive and protective measures for workers, taking into account the activities each and every worker will be undertaking.

“Our new guidance also covers some basic requirements for ensuring that a good occupational health strategy can be established, incorporating a combination of proactive and reactive elements including:
•    Prevention of occupational ill-health;
•    Early identification of any occupational ill-health;
•    Rehabilitation and return to work following occupational ill-health.

“Each of these elements is discussed and we also cover basic requirements for ensuring that a good occupational health strategy can be established. We also give details of typical health risk management issues; and provide information on further reading.”

Like all IMCA guidance IMCA SEL 033 is free to download from the IMCA website for members and non-member alike. Printed copies can be purchased at £5.00 for members and £10.00 for non-members via the IMCA website at www.imca-int.com and from publications@imca-int.com.