NEBOSH Supports Health Risks at Work Initiative

The National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) is backing the Health Risks at Work initiative (HRAW) - launched in May 2012 (for England, Wales & N Ireland) by Safety Groups UK (SGUK) to raise awareness of workplace occupational health issues and aimed at changing behaviour amongst SME’s.

HRAW comprises a working group of representatives from HSE, RoSPA, SCoS and the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives and is based on strong evidence that SMEs struggle with health and safety through a lack of awareness of the risks faced by their employees.

With advice tailored to their workplace over complex guidance documents, HRAW is aimed at providing simple, easy-to-digest information to help small businesses manage common health risks across five key occupational health risk areas:

• Breathing
• Skin
• Muscles, bones and joints
• Hearing and touch
• Wellbeing

Materials covering the above topic areas are offered in the form of rapid reference cards and a free DVD, which is available in 5 languages (English, Polish, Chinese, Urdu and Punjabi) which can be used in training sessions and company meetings to ensure that key messages reach as many workers as possible.

Brenig Moore, Operations Director at Astutis comment:

“We have seen a key commitment to such topics recently in the form of ‘wellbeing at work week’ and EU-OSHA’s campaign for ‘healthy workplaces for all ages’ which we have actively supported in the Astutis offices. In effectively managing the occupational health and safety of their employees, organisations will see tangible benefits including the improved morale of a valued workforce, the effects of which should not be underestimated and will transcend business operations.”

For further information:

• See ISMA's top 10 Stress Awareness Tips
• Find out why your PC could be causing you harm on our blog
• Visit the Safety Groups UK Website