Do you employ Night Workers?
After reading a HSE report from 2014 (yes, slightly behind as ever) which stated that after asbestos related cancers the next biggest categories of occupational cancer were lung cancer due to silica etc. and breast cancer due to shift work (although I have since read something else which confirms that there is still insufficient evidence of this). It made me think about my customers and whether we include for night work in the H&S Management Systems we provide so after some research here are a few simple steps.
Do you employ Night Workers – Firstly Night Workers are much different than people who may occasionally work a night to fit around your customer’s needs, so think Shift Workers who are on rota to work a night (covering the period 10pm-4am) regularly or people who constantly work nights – obviously be on the watch for the frequency of occasional night work increasing.
What do you need to do – conduct an assessment (these are very simple and ask for some basic information such as workers age and pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes), we have a very simple form please contact me for a copy (no idea how you attach to a blog!)
Finally consider if you need some Occupational Health provision – this needn’t be hugely cost impactful and can be arranged via the individuals GP or via NHS www.nshhealthatwork.co.uk.
It is far more straightforward than I first thought – for more information you can either call the office 0151 420 5465 or of course visit the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk.
