Pilot Aim
The purpose of the construction work health initiative for the construction sector aims to:
• Raise awareness of general health issues and increase knowledge of individual health status;
• Encourage construction workers to consult the medical profession on health matters and motivate them to improve their general health and fitness;
• Build partnerships between health promotion organisations and the industry;
• Identify and promote current and new strategies to improve construction worker health;
• Provide comparative data on specific sites with national averages; and
• Reduce absenteeism and premature exit of construction workers from the industry due to poor health.
Proposal
Approximately 1,000 construction workers will be assessed over a six to eight week period. Corporate Bodies International will be responsible for health screenings and testings while skin cancer screenings will be conducted by Molescan.
To qualify for the pilot, employers volunteering must be regarded as industry leaders, prepared to release construction workers from their duties for the period of the assessment and be able to provide appropriate facilities at the site for health assessments i.e. privacy, electricity and fittings.
On site will be eight (8) health professionals, four (4) from Corporate Bodies International and four (4) from Molescan. The facilities should accommodate up to eight (8) health professionals, with each assessor being able to work in privacy at the work site.
The health assessments will be performed on a voluntary basis and the health information will be confidential between the assessor and worker. However, de-identified health data collected during the pilot will be used to inform worker health promotion initiatives.
Structural trades will be the target of the pilot i.e. concreters, form workers, doggers, scaffolders, steel fixers, general labourers, plumbers.
Workers volunteering for the health assessments will attend a 30-minute health screening by Corporate Bodies International and a 15-minute skin assessment from Molescan. Workplace Health and Safety Officers (WHSOs), safety representatives and delegates at each worksite will schedule the appointments for construction workers and liaising with the assessors while on-site.
Assessment Outcomes
Each construction worker participating in the health assessment pilot will receive an individualised health passport booklet outlining key health indicators and how these compare with acceptable range. Individuals identified at high health risks will be referred for follow-up assessments.
For employers, a general summary of the health status of their participating workforce will be provided. This will allow a construction company to compare the health status of their work force against all participants in the trial.
The objective of the general summary report is to encourage employers to introduce targeted health promotion strategies to their work force.
The general summary report will be provided in a nonidentifiable format to ensure confidentiality and that the data is not distinguishable by person.
Should you requirement any further information in regards to this health initiative please call BLF health and safety advisor Royce Kupsch on 32362633 or 0411636414.
