Health and Safety Executive

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Managing occupational health risks in construction

Construction occupational health management essentials (COHME)

The UK construction industry employs more than 2 million people, who - because of the nature of the work they do - have a high incidence of occupational ill health. The effects can be devastating for the individuals and their families as there is often a long-term impact on quality of life and financial security.

This section tells you how you can manage occupational health risks and meet the requirements of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM).

Managing occupational health is not just about providing things like health checks before someone starts work, first aid, welfare, general information about health, well-being and fitness to work, or managing sickness absence and return to work - there are also things you can do to reduce risks to workers' health.

Common ill-health problems in construction include:

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Updated 2010-04-27