1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194 
Mind, bod and spirit
Page 34
Page 35
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
How do you deal with disability? Could you help a driver rebuild his confidence after an accident?
Or help a worker deal with trauma? Patric
Cunnane talks to two agencies who can help.
Small firms are unlikely to have the resources to employ an occupational health specialist, but help is at hand. CM met two consultants who work with a number of road transport companies.
Yvonne Elgie is director of OH specialist Ability Healthcare and Anna Stewart is business development manager at the Centre for Crisis Psychology, which provides trauma counselling to people who have been involved in accidents or other traumatic events. The two firms frequently work together to offer a comprehensive service to their clients although they operate independently from each other, "We are giving practical advice it's not necessarily law," Elgie explains. "Hauliers do not check the health of workers when they join." Unfair treatment because of ignorance of a disability could lead to a claim under the Disability Discrimination Act.
"Disability is a big area and the number of
disabilities [involved] is growing because of case law," she adds.
Such developments make employers nervous. Elgie cites one case where a driver had an accident outside work he was hit by a motor cycle. His employer paid six months' sick pay then offered the victim an alternative position and took on a new driver. He could have fairly dismissed the injured employee but was unaware he had this option.
Accidents will happen, of course, but companies who have gathered detailed information on the health of prospective employees have a better chance of avoiding costly mistakes.
Elgie offers firms a pre-placement health questionnaire service at 123 per employee (under the Health & Safety Act employees must answer truthfully). This questionnaire will, for example, reveal if an applicant has ever been treated for heart disease or drug and alcohol problems. This demonstrates that the employer is taking his duty of care seriously.
Fit for purpose
Having received the completed questionnaire Ability Healthcare sends the employer a written report on the applicant's fitness to work. This enables the company to ensure it is not exposing the employee to unnecessary risk. -Forklift workers-is their sight good enough? Certain people might not be suitable for night work, such as diabetics, epileptics and those with heart conditions," Elgie explains.
She points out that some conditions which affect a driver's fitness to drive are easily treatable high blood pressure, for example. "The DVLA just gives a licence but wash their hands of fitness to drive," she says.
And on the downside, if employers do not make pre-placement health checks they stand the risk of inheriting problems such as back conditions or hearing loss.
Managing sickness absence is an important function of occupational health. On average road transport companies lose 10-15 days per worker per year.
-We can help them save money on sickness absence by focusing on how they manage it," says Elgie. -How do they interpret sick notes from a GP? What's acceptable? Debilitation, anxiety, depression? How do they manage 'return to work' interviews? An occupational health specialist can interpret the effects of new law such as the Physical Agents Directive, which was introduced this month. This requires employers to monitor noise levels-garages or workshops could easily fall foul of the regulations.
The Directive also covers vibration levels, which could affect tipper drivers and others. Elgie warns: "Firms will need to be aware of the cabs and seats they are buying, of drills, handheld tools or riveting tools for truck panelling."
Take care with drugs
However, workplace screening for drugs should he treated with extreme caution, she adds (see feature, CA414 July): "If you screen for every drug that could be used it would never end so you could select live."
Firms must not discriminate between drivers and office staff when testing for drugs: "Someone signing off cheques in the accounts department could have a big negative impact [if under the influence of drugs]."
She advises that firms spend at least a year planning such a step.
Elgie stresses that her company endeavours to build a good relationship with unions or staff forums at workplaces where they are involved and frequently talks directly to the T&G. However, at an employment tribunal they will invariably be called upon to give evidence to support the employer's case. is