1. Hilary Bell Andrea Gilmartin Health Improvement Advisors NHS Grampian
Workplace Health
Hilary Bell
Andrea Gilmartin
Health Improvement Advisors
NHS Grampian
Health Improvement Advisors, Health and Work Team, NHS Grampian.
Talk about Workplace Health.

2. Is work important to us?
“For most people, work is their key determinant of self worth, family esteem, their identity and standing within the community, besides providing material benefits work is a means of social participation and fulfilment ”
Working for a healthier tomorrow (Black 2008)
Dame Carol Black, is Principal of Newham College, Cambridge. From 2006 to 2016, she advised the British Government on the relationship between work and health.– lead task force to look at Health of the Working Age.
Her report in 2008 quoted: - ‘ ‘

3. Profile of the current workforce in Scotland
Population of Scotland 5.2 million
2.46 million people in employment
Public sector 580,000
Private sector 1.88 million
Average wage £497 per week
SMEs 339,110 (employing 1.09 million)
£130 million direct cost of sickness absence.
£20 billion total cost
Lets put work and Scotland into perspective:
2014/2015 stats
Key message:
“£130 million direct cost of sickness absence” to employers
(giving £20 billion cost to economy)
Explain: Cost shouldn’t just be driver, think of the wider impact on the:
Individual:
Quality of life, financial impact , family impact
Employer:
Costs to cover absence or loss of productivity/activity if unable to afford cover , impact on other staff
Preventing sickness absence/ workplace injury should be the Number One priority for organisations.
Supporting employees back to work after a period of absence is beneficial for everyone

4. Number of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises ( SMEs) by Industry and Geographic Area, 2010
In relation to this industry:
Scotland’s forestry sector contributes nearly £1 billion to the economy through forest management, timber processing and recreation
In remote rural areas 'Agriculture, forestry and fishing' is the largest source of private sector jobs (17%) (National Statistics - Rural Scotland Key Facts 2011).
Across Scotland, the forestry sector, including tourism and recreation supports over 25,000 jobs..
Importantly, many of these jobs are located in rural locations therefore forestry is supporting more fragile economies. 
30-38% of SMEs are located in remote rural/rural areas which is significant to Scotland’s economy and to local economies.
(Forestry Commission Scotland 2015).
But looking back at the cost of sickness absence from previous slide, consider the impact on a your business with a few employees bearing the burden of sickness.

5. What are the main issues?
60% musculoskeletal injuries
Lung Disease
Skin Cancer
Each year:
4% of people in this industry suffer an illness believed to work-related
4% of people suffer an injury believed to be work related. Eg Slips trips and falls, injured by animal, lifting and handling, falling from height, struck by an object
33 worker fatalities in 2014/15
Lots of industry specific guidance on HSE web-site, UKFISA and CONFOR which I don’t propose to dwell on.
Main issues are HAVS, Hearing, chain saw injuries, working at height and lone working
Musculoskeletal injuries – 2.2% in your industry compared to 1.3% across all industries.
Farmers Lung (78 deaths in last decade)
Skin Cancer – in 2004, 1500 cases of skin cancer due to solar radiation with 100 of these among agriculture, forestry and farming industry.
Not high numbers but it is so easily preventable.

6. Lone working Isolation Stress Anxiety Depression
While there is a lot of information about the benefits of forests and green space on the mental health of the general public there is very little written about the mental health issues for those who work in the industry.
HSE provides a guidance leaflet on lone working from a health and safety and personal safety point of view but not from the point of view of loneliness and isolation.
Remote working hazards extend beyond the physical environment – some folk find the limited social contact hard while others struggle with time management. Who has specific responsibility to keep in touch with remote workers? What about contractors?
Impact of lone working: Isolation can be stressful and lead to anxiety and even depression. Knowing who to turn to when things are difficult is most important.
IOSH have produced a document with checklists and risk assessment for lone workers, including the work environment, equipment and travelling and working alone. (show)

7. What about the workplace?
HWL is free support for businesses of all sizes. Can be accessed by anyone whether they are employee or employer. Advice on Occupational Health as well as impartial H&S advice. Not connected to HSE.
Website full of info and access to tools and templates or call Adviceline.
Supporting small business with practical tools, templates and guidance
HWL offers free training locally too.

8. Resources include leaflets to guide you through a topic eg risk assessment forms
You’ll also find resources to support you through how to conduct health surveillance, develop policies and other tool kits and leaflets eg risk assessment forms and managing occupational violence and aggression in workplace among others.

9. HSE have pages on H&S for tree surgeon, forestry worker or forestry manager as well as industry specific guidance on forestry operations and working at height.

10. Helping Scotland Work Well Any Questions?
Evaluation?