Gill Monk, MD of All Health Matters, together with other members of the occupational health industry have begun work on a new initiative promoting a sensible and proportional approach to health in construction, accessible to all, called Fit For Construction (FFC).
At the Virtual Construction Expo this week, Gill said "There are recognised health standards published for many other high-risk industries including Rail, Aviation, Oil & Gas, for example, but the health of Construction workers is just as important and as such, is deserving of equal attention. The Industry needs to be confident that the medical assessments carried out by occupational health providers is compliant with the Law, is relevant, economic, and consistent, regardless of size or location.
The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) have formed a special interest group of which founding members of FFC are a part, in order to develop the medical standards for construction workers that are relevant to their roles and the risks they face. FFC is bringing together a directory of verified and experienced occupational health providers from all over the UK and of all shapes and sizes, who are committed to delivering services to the agreed standards. The intention is that all fitness certificates bearing the FFC verification code, will be transferable between contractors, and give an assurance of quality and relevance. Unlike other schemes, the cost of creating and running FFC will not be passed onto the construction industry, and the resultant pool of OH providers from which to choose, will be greatly increased.
There is an appetite for this initiative, and with the support of the Construction Industry, FFC will offer both big and small contractors the opportunity for much greater choice and localised support, and therefore potential cost savings.
If you would like to be involved in this pioneering project, get updates, and be the first to know when FFC goes live, please register your interest here.
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