Content Coordinator, SHP Online

May 12, 2017

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New BOHS course on health risks for construction supervisors

The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) is launching a new course, designed specifically for construction employees.

Completion of the one day course grants graduates a Certificate in Controlling Health Risks in Construction. The course is specifically designed to assist construction employers in up-skilling their workforce in the basics of health risk management and control.

Whilst construction employees are generally very aware of, or well-trained in the area of ‘safety’, and personal protective equipment, the more complex area of ‘health’ can be confusing for many. There can be misunderstanding around other health-related areas such as ‘wellbeing’ and ‘occupational health’ – and how it all fits together, say BOHS.

Content of the course

The new BOHS course has been designed to provide training for construction site supervisors, so they can better recognise and control the health risks specific to their workplace, by:

  • Identifying the most commonly present health hazards found on construction sites
  • Understanding the principals of risk control
  • Identifying the measures needed to control common health risks from construction activities

Benefits of the course

According to BOHS, this course:

  • Is the only 1-day construction course which adequately covers the control of health risks
  • Will ensure that personnel are trained to recognise and control workplace hazards
  • Will enable personnel to be better equipped, to ensure workers’ health is better protected
  • Provides a highly cost-effective and convenient form of training: 1 day’s classroom learning, with 2 hours’ prior e-learning
  • Can be delivered by your company* to your employees, providing ongoing cost savings

The aim is for students to develop their knowledge of health and safety management by learning how to recognise and control the most common health risks found on construction sites, and where to find further information and advice if required.

Why ‘health’ in the construction industry is an important area

The profile of workplace health issues in the construction industry has been raised significantly during the last couple of years. There is growing recognition of the need to do more to reduce the incidence of ill-health among construction workers, and current statistics illustrate the extent of this need:

  • Construction workers are 100 times more likely to die as a result of ill-health caused by work, than from an accident
  • There are around 5,500 new occupational cancer cases in construction, each year
  • There are around 76,000 cases of work-related ill health, in construction

Find out more about the new BOHS course

To find out more about the course and avout becoming a BOHS Approved Training Provider (ATP), please email [email protected].

You can also meet BOHS at Safety & Health Expo 2017 where they have programmed part of the Operational Excellence Theatre on Tuesday 20th June. Register for the event here.

Want help with controlling health risks in the construction industry?

Visit the Breathe Freely website for more information about controlling exposures to prevent occupational lung disease – including extensive, downloadable free resources to help with education and training.

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