Occupational health

The occupational health department provides a range of services to support workers during the decommissioning of the site.

What is occupational health?

It's the promotion, protection and restoration of workers' health while cultivating a safer and healthier work environment. This is a two-way system between work and health that requires not only knowledge and understanding of the effect of work on health but also of the effect of health on the ability to carry out the tasks for which individuals are employed.

Health education, screening and surveillance

OH assists the company and its employees to minimise the risk to individual health from occupational factors and preventing occupational diseases, illnesses and accidents. It strives to improve and maintain the general health of the workforce through:

  • Workplace assessments - DSE, manual handling, noise and vibration
  • Provision of and advice on risk assessments and the outcomes
  • Screening:

    o pre-placement
    o forklift/crane drivers
    o HGV drivers
    o breathing apparatus/respirator/airline suit workers
    o sewage/water workers
    o night workers
    o ionising radiation workers
     
  • Surveillance:

    o noise
    o HAVS
    o skin irritants
    o respiratory irritants
    o ionising radiation
     
  • Education and training:

    o HF Awareness
    o skin and respiratory sensitisers
    o manual handling awareness
    o COSHH health surveillance
    o stress awareness
    o retirement
    o HAVS toolbox talk
    o heat stress
    o eye injuries
     
  • Respirator Fit Testing

Healthier lifestyles

OH uses the facilities available to promote healthier lifestyles among the workforce and the wider community through:

  • health promotion and educataion
  • blood tests, including cholesterol checks & advice
  • liaison with the NHS to facilitate shared care and reduce lost time to company
  • using surgery and medical sessions to target individuals and give appropriate advice and information
  • on-site clinics by NHS specialists

Routine and emergency treatments

OH assists the company and its employees to minimise the risk to individual health from occupational factors and prevent occupational disease, illness and accidents. It strives to improve and maintain the general health of the workforce through:

  • surgery treatments (including the decontamination of individuals accidentally contaminated with radioactive material)
  • emergency treatments
  • training of local hospital staff in decontamination methods to facilitate receipt of contaminated casualties

Sickness absence management and rehabilitation

OH works with managers, employees and the local NHS to support individuals recovering from illness and to facilitate their return to work at the earliest appropriate time through:

  • management referrals
  • attendance at case conferences
  • home visits
  • return-to-work risk assessments & advice on planning
     

 

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Image: The occupational health team deals with injured workers, including those whose wounds may be contaminated by radioactivity

The occupational health team deals with injured workers, including those whose wounds may be contaminated by radioactivity

Image: Some of the occupational health team

Some of the occupational health team

Image: Workers at Dounreay undergo routine health checks as part of the site approach to maintaining the wellbeing of staff

Workers at Dounreay undergo routine health checks as part of the site approach to maintaining the wellbeing of staff

 

Image: Workers undergo routine health checks at the occupational health department

Workers undergo routine health checks at the occupational health department

Image: Occupational health staff have an important role in helping to maintain the general wellbeing of workers at the site

Occupational health staff have an important role in helping to maintain the general wellbeing of workers at the site

Image: The occupational health team strives to raise the overall standards of health among the workforce through a range of promotions and initiatives

The occupational health team strives to raise the overall standards of health among the workforce through a range of promotions and initiatives