Back to work - Managing occupational health in the construction industry

Contractors have a vested interest in making sure that workers receive proper treatment and return to work. Construction workers have valuable knowledge and skills - if the workforce shrinks this has the potential to slow production and increase costs at a time when the industry is booming and skilled labour is hard to come by.

There is plenty of evidence to show that the longer a construction worker is away from work due to ill health, the less likely it is that they will return to the industry.

HSE has published an approach to help businesses to manage sickness absence and return to work. The approach consists of six key elements:

1. recording sickness absence;
2. keeping in contact even if the worker lives some distance away;
3. planning and undertaking workplace adjustments;
4. using professional or other advice and treatment advice;
5. agreeing and reviewing a return to work plan;
6. coordinating the return-to-work process.

This approach is relevant to most industries and does not need to involve a vast amount of paperwork. For construction there are some specific messages:

Asthma and dermatitis

Health conditions that arise from an allergic reaction will probably recur if the affected worker is exposed to the same substance again. There is also a possibility that the worker will develop an allergic response to other similar substances if they are exposed. This means that you should review potential sources of exposure before they return to work.

Stress

Stress is an ‘adverse reaction to excessive pressure'. Unless managers deal with the aspects of work that caused the excessive pressure then stress may affect the person again. Some office workers have successfully claimed significant compensation because managers did not protect their health properly after they returned to work.

Musculoskeletal disorders

If a worker has non-specific, simple back pain, their doctor, physiotherapist, osteopath and pharmacist will probably advise them to ‘stay active.'

If the injured person returns to physical work (eg labouring), their strength and physical fitness may take some time to return to normal levels.

Workers who damage tendons due to over use, eg when laying bricks or block, may be at risk of aggravating the original injury. Check whether you need to make changes to the work and/or environment to prevent further injury.

• More on MSD return to work