Introduction to occupational health in construction best practices

Working in construction means regularly coming in contact with various health hazards – chemicals and physical strain, noise and dust, vibrations and operating machinery. Any and all of the above can lead to adverse health outcomes and it is the employer’s responsibility to limit exposure and impact and monitor employee health to ensure health, safety, and wellbeing are supported and protected.

This article will answer some of the most common questions about what is occupational health in construction and what the employer’s responsibilities are.

What is occupational health in construction and why is it important?

In general, occupational health is defined as ‘a practice that deals with the safety, health, welfare and wellbeing of people when they are at work’. In construction this can refer to procedures of hazard containment, environmental control/PPE, employee training and education, and health surveillance.

• Hazard containment is concerned with limiting the employee’s exposure through either separating the worker with enclosure or screening or modifying the equipment – like installing vibration absorbing handles on power tools.
• Environmental control focuses on decreasing the dangers in the immediate environment such as installing air filtration and extraction systems. Additionally, personal protective equipment falls under this category in cases where environmental control is impossible, less effective, or cannot provide the required level of protection. This can include things like masks, ear defenders, and gloves.
• Employee training and education is essential no matter what hazards they might encounter to ensure they understand the importance of protective measures and hot to carry out their work with those in place so that they are efficient.
• Health surveillance is a statutory requirement, which installs a systematic and appropriate programme of health monitoring aimed at timely detection of work-related ill health.

Common hazards to occupational health in construction and required health surveillance tests

According to HSE, while there have been improvements over the recent years, construction still remains a high-risk industry with a widely known high percentage of fatal and major injuries, but less widely known one with a high risk of health issues as well.

Some of the biggest hazards to occupational health in construction are:

• Working at heights
• Noise
• Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome
• Material and manual handling
• Airborne fibres and materials

Health surveillance testing that monitors their impact and encourages early intervention is a legal requirement. There are many specialised tests available, and the following list is not exhaustive, depending on the specific conditions on the site and jobs involved other assessments might be needed. For more information about what monitoring your employees require it is best to consult an occupational health company or internal specialist.

The aforementioned risk factors each require their own monitoring process.

Working at heights

Working at heights requires a ‘working at heights’ in addition to the standard safety critical medical. Safety critical medicals are required for all tasks that in the event of failure can lead to an accident or otherwise compromise the safety of the employees involved, the premises, and/or the environment. A safety critical medical will identify any conditions that may affect an individual’s mobility, balance, cognition, risk perception, behaviour, and communication, or can lead to a sudden incapacity or loss of consciousness. A ‘working at heights’ medical will additionally make sure the individual’s fitness level is suitable for working at heights.

Noise

High levels of occupational noise are common on construction sites thanks to the abundance of loud machinery, equipment, and works. While ear protection such as plugs is a necessary minimum, the noise levels might still affect the workers. Thus, regular audiometry assessments are needed to monitor the hearing levels and identify any changes.

HAVS

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) may affect those who regularly utilise handheld or hand-guided vibrating tools. It can lead to painful and disabling disorders of blood vessels, nerves, and/or joints. It is entirely preventable, but once the damage is done it becomes permanent.

A HAVS assessment is comprised of 5 tiers, with the first one being a health questionnaire that is filled out before any vibration exposure and the second one being another questionnaire filled out for screening purposes and assessed by an occupational health provider. If any symptoms of HAVS are indicated in the tier 2 questionnaire, tier 3 – a more detailed occupational health assessment, tier 4 – a qualified doctor’s formal diagnosis, and tier 5 – final review and assessment conclusion, follow.

Manual and equipment material handling

Manual and equipment material handling carries a degree of risk. The most important injury prevention strategy here is training. For manual handling, workers must know how to approach lifting, holding, carrying, lowering pushing, and pulling safely, in a way that puts the least amount of stress possible on their soft tissue, such as muscles, ligaments, tendons, disks, cartilage, and nerves. For equipment handling, the training should include appropriate certifications for using any piece of machinery, site inspections, and regular testing to check employee ability to use the equipment.

Airborne fibres and materials

Construction sites, unsurprisingly, produce a lot of dust. In addition to being a general nuisance, it is also a serious hazard to the respiratory system and skin, having the capacity to cause serious reactions and lasting illness.

The dust, often invisible, can contain a mixture of toxic materials and fibres. However, since the damage can take years to manifest, it often lulls employees into a false sense of security, leading them to believe it will not have an effect. Protecting them from the damage it may cause falls under 3 processes: protective equipment, education and training, and regular monitoring.

Protective equipment such as properly fitting masks and gloves can limit the amount of dust the lungs and skin come in contact with.

Education and training provide the much-needed knowledge on the adverse outcomes exposure can lead to, using PPE so it provides protection, the different types of toxins one might encounter (for example, asbestos) and what to do, the importance of health surveillance, symptoms to look out for, and other appropriate topics.

Regular monitoring of the lung function involves a test on a specialised machine that measures how big a breath one is able to take and how forcefully they can breathe out. After a baseline is established, the following checks then assess for any changes and if such further intervention will be required.

Relevant legislation

Health surveillance is a legal obligation for employers whose employees are exposed to workplace hazards and are at risk of work-related ill-health. The HSE provides a detailed overview of employer responsibilities, but we wanted to briefly outline the pieces of legislation that are most likely to be of interest to businesses concerned with occupational health in construction.

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA)

This is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. It places a duty on the employer to ensure, as far as reasonably possible, the health, safety, and wellbeing of their employees – this means assessing risks, taking action to prevent harm, and providing health surveillance where work involves significant risks.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR)

These regulations focus on the necessity of workplace health surveillance including all relevant risk assessments and health monitoring where risks cannot be appropriately reduced otherwise. The need for specialist guidance (internal or external) and proper recordkeeping measures is emphasised.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)

As the name suggest, this is concerned with hazardous substances, limiting exposure and providing health surveillance where exposure cannot be eliminated. The health checks provided should measure the impact of chemicals, solvents, fumes, dust, biological agents, or other hazardous substances on the employee health.

Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005

If the workplace constitutes an environment where the employees experience a noise level of 85dB(A) in a daily or weekly average exposure, hearing protection and hearing protection zones are mandatory under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, as are regular audiometry assessments. If noise levels are equal to or above the threshold of 80dB(A), employers have to assess the risks and provide education and training to employees. In any circumstances your employees must not be exposed to 87dB(A) or above in a daily or weekly average noise level.

Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

These regulations limit the exposure action value to 2.5 m/s² A(8) where employers are required to introduce technical and organisational measures to reduce exposure and a limit value of 5.0 m/s² A(8) above which employees should not be exposed. These measures are aimed at eliminating new work-related ill health from hand-arm vibration and prevent existing diseases from progressing. Regular health surveillance and appropriate training for those who are routinely exposed to vibration through work are essential.

Other legislation and guidance

The list above covers the most commonly applicable regulations but under certain circumstances your workplace might require more health surveillance. Occupational health in construction might also involve things like as ionising radiations, asbestos, and PPE, and infromation on such regulations and other HSE guidance is available on the HSE website.

Protecting occupational health in construction is not just a legal obligation – it’s a critical investment in the safety, productivity, and morale of your workforce. By identifying common hazards and implementing health surveillance programmes, you reduce risks, comply with regulations, and create a safer work environment. From noise monitoring to vibration assessments, each measure ensures that employees are equipped to thrive in their roles without compromising their long-term health.

If you are looking to enhance your occupational health in construction strategy, now is the time to take action. Ensure compliance, safeguard your team, and encourage a culture of safety by implementing tailored health surveillance programmes.