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Occupational Health


In total, an estimated 32.9 million days (full-day equivalent) are lost each year due to work-related illnesses.

For people whose current or most recent job in the last 12 months was in a mainly LA enforced industry, an estimated 6.1 million working days (full-day equivalent) were lost in 2001/02 through illness ascribed to this job, equating to an annual loss of an estimated 71,000 days per 100,000 workers. This compares with an estimated 28 million days lost due to illnesses ascribed to the current or most recent job across all industries, or 120,000 days per 100,000 workers.

The most recent Information on occupational ill health in the LA enforced sector is provided by the survey of self-reported work-related illness in 2001/02. This estimates that 437,000 people in Great Britain, whose current or most recent job in the last eight years was in a mainly LA enforced industry, were suffering from an illness which they believe was caused or made worse by this job. However, the trends in employment in the “New Economy” mean that the LA sector will present the greatest challenges in respect of musculoskeletal disorders, stress and violence. To achieve the targets set out in 'Revitalising Health and Safety' and in ‘Securing Health Together’, LAs will need to work from a much more informed base and be able to orient their approach in response. Key will be LAs’ involvement in wider public, community well-being and environmental health strategies.
There are numerous HSE pages on health related issues [e.g. asbestos].

Action by local authorities

Local Authorities will:

  • facilitate discussions within all departments of councils to consider and document their potential contribution to Revitalising and Securing Health Together as intermediaries;
  • contribute to current data on occupational ill health by supplementing it with local surveys and enquiries;
  • focus on key occupational ill-health issues when developing their enforcement regimes and service plans;
  • develop good practice and share among other LAs;
  • contribute to the key programme on stress.

Action to support local authorities

The Health and Safety Executive will:

  • engage LAs through the action to implement Securing Health Together;
  • conduct research into the levels and types of occupational ill health prominent in the LA enforced sectors;
  • invite LA representatives onto key HSE working groups;
  • make links with other government programmes relating to health and communities.

Small Businesses

One of the primary aims of the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authority Enforcement Liaison Committee (HELA) is to help small firms to comply with health and safety legislation by communicating effectively with small businesses in order to assist them in improving health and safety standards.

Some of the key messages for Local Authorities to give to small businesses are:

  • There is a moral and economic case for promoting health and safety in the workplace.
  • Health and safety is a partnership between employers and employees.
  • Health and safety is not a complex, administrative issue but a practical and effective way of improving standards in the workplace
  • Health and safety is about managing risks, not eliminating them.
  • HSE and Local Authorities are committed to being good partners, working with others to improve health and safety.
  • Advice will be realistic, achievable and targeted at specific audiences.

Although it was produced a couple of years ago, the HELA guidance to Local Authorities on implementing HSCs small firms strategy is still valid. It was designed to provide a framework in which HELA, local authorities, the local authority associations, key stakeholders and intermediaries can develop and adapt their work plans to help small firms comply with health and safety law.

Local Authorities will need to adapt the guidance to suit their own circumstances, as there is no single approach suitable for all small firms. Many of the priority areas and case studies outlined will not relate exclusively to small firms, but will apply to all businesses regardless of size.

In July HSE is to hold the first meeting of a new Small Business Forum. The Forum aims to listen to the concerns of small businesses and encourage direct business experience input to HSE proposed activities. Further information and advice for small businesses can be obtained from the HSE look after your business section.

HSE publications for small businesses include:

Useful websites include:

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