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.

Clients

Designers

Principal contractors

Contractors

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

CDM Coordinators have a key role in advising and assisting clients in respect of health risk management matters. They should manage the flow of information between other duty holders and have an understanding of the duties others involved in the project have.
clients can remove or reduce risks to health;
designers can identify and eliminate hazards, and reduce remaining risks;
principal contractors can plan and implement a strategy to manage occupational health risks;
contractors can manage any occupational health risks that their workers may be exposed to

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:

back pain;
skin problems;
breathing problems;
problems caused by noise or vibration; and
stress.