IOSH at ICOH 2018

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

Shaping healthier, happier workplaces Come and talk to us – we’re on Stand 1 www.iosh.co.uk/occhealth

Join us in our sessions Mental health – cross-disciplinary approaches to mental health in the workplace Monday, 17.10–18.40, Session 49 (SS40) Wicklow Hall 2a, level 2 Changes in the pace of life, stresses at home and the drive to increase productivity and enhance performance in the workplace can all adversely affect the mental health of workers. Anyone suffering mental health issues will either become absent from work on sick leave, attend work but be far less effective, or may even leave their employment.

The session will be delivered as a panel discussion.

It will explore and reflect upon raising awareness, reducing stigmatisation, improving collaboration between professionals and implementing programmes for rehabilitation.

The global drive to tackle occupational cancer Tuesday, 15.50–17.20, Session 93 (SS75) Wicklow Hall 2a, level 2 Launched by IOSH in 2014, No Time to Lose has raised awareness and understanding of workrelated exposure to carcinogens, and helped organisations take action.

This session focuses on the impact of a farreaching campaign to tackle one of the greatest threats to the lives of working people – and examines what now needs to be done to cut instances of occupational cancer. It will be a platform for discussing a global, cross-sector approach to tackling the disease, and explore what delegates can do to promote awareness and help manage its risks among their communities and networks.

A more holistic approach How we look after people’s health and wellbeing at work has become a top priority for business leaders and policy-makers, and it’s easy to see why.

From mental health disorders to occupational diseases, failures to safeguard people’s health and wellbeing in the workplace are claiming lives and livelihoods, and costing the world economy trillions in lost productivity.

The number of deaths from occupational diseases exceeds considerably the total of lives lost from accidents – 2.4 million and 380,000 respectively, according to figures published in 2017.

At the same time, there is growing evidence of the benefits to businesses of investments in the health and wellbeing of their people. Studies have shown that a happy worker can be up to 15 per cent more productive – a clear business benefit.

Delegates and staff at IOSH’s annual conference

With organisations under closer scrutiny for the way they look after their workforces, the gap between the costs of inaction in managing health and wellbeing and the benefits of investing proactively to prevent such issues is widening.

This helps to explain why our management of health and wellbeing at work has evolved, from a traditional compliance approach to something more holistic.

To occupational diseases we have added issues such as stress and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). By focusing increasingly on wellbeing, employers are recognising that factors outside of work also play a part in the level of performance in work.

Closer collaboration In taking an all-encompassing approach to health and wellbeing, organisations have identified that greater collaboration is now required between a range of disciplines, including health and safety, human resources and occupational health.

It is why the role of the safety and health professional, a specialist in managing risk and developing policies and practices to safeguard people at work, has also evolved. No longer solely a discipline to ensure legal compliance, our members now take a more holistic, collaborative approach, and their importance in organisations is growing.

Health and wellbeing has become a strategic consideration for organisations wanting to improve their reputation, resilience and productivity.

Supporters of IOSH’s No Time to Lose campaign

IOSH and its members IOSH is the Chartered body for safety and health professionals, and represents and supports more than 47,000 members in around 130 countries worldwide.

With the evolving focus on health and wellbeing, IOSH has responded by making it a key area in its five-year strategy, WORK 2022. Activities include - Supporting our members with opportunities to learn and develop their skills in managing health and wellbeing risks - Designing a new occupational health course for all working people, so we can look after each other’s health and wellbeing at work - Campaigning globally on health issues – No Time to Lose, our campaign to tackle occupational cancer, has reached millions of workers with practical solutions to manage the risks - Leading debates on improving the health and wellbeing of people at work and contributing to government consultations on policy - Developing free resources for business, such as our Occupational Health Toolkit - Commissioning research to understand more about occupational health issues – then developing practical solutions to address them - Becoming diamond partner of ICOH 2018, the International Commission on Occupational Health’s congress for OH experts and stakeholders IOSH is demonstrating its profession’s commitment to collaboration to create a healthier, happier world of work. We believe good work, that is healthy and fulfilling, is good for you – and it’s good for business. www.iosh.co.uk/occhealth

We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of working people.

IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with international NGO status.

IOSH The Grange Highfield Drive Wigston Leicestershire LE18 1NN UK

This document is printed on chlorine-free paper produced from managed, sustained forests.

IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 47,000 members in over 130 countries, we’re the world’s largest professional health and safety organisation.

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Founded 1945 Incorporated by Royal Charter 2003 Registered charity in England and Wales No. 1096790 Registered charity in Scotland No. SC043254

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