‘Halt for health’ stand down

20 September – 24 October 2014

Making the link between health and safety

There is a clear link between a person’s health and their safety.

A very high percentage of injuries are a result of a deviation from the safe system of work, often from an individual having a slip or lapse in concentration because they feel tired or from taking unnecessary risks when they feel stressed or frustrated.

By recognising this link and understanding the benefit of looking after our health and wellbeing we can achieve safer and more effective control of the risks in our business.

Making the link between health and safety

Leaving us feeling

Fatigued

Stressed

Frustrated

Lapse in concentration

Poor decisions

Taking unnecessary risks

Incidents, injury and illness

Workplace factors

Extensive working hours

Increased workload

Poor welfare facilities

Lack of rest breaks

Lifestyle habits

Poor diet

Dehydration

Inactive lifestyle

Lack of sleep

Poor health and wellbeing = poor safety

Clapham rail disaster

Compared to their normal energised state, a fatigued person will:• Find it hard to concentrate, make clear decisions or take in and act on

information• Have more frequent lapses of attention or memory• React more slowly (e.g. to hazards in the workplace)• Make more errors in judgement• Occasionally fall asleep at work momentarily, or for several minutes• Have little motivation or interest in their work

Effects of fatigue

Local Incident

Compared to normal, a stressed person will:• Find it hard to concentrate, make clear decisions or take in and act on information• Have more frequent lapses of attention or memory• Have little motivation or interest in their work• Make more errors in judgement • Be more likely to take time off work, increasing demands on colleagues• Be more likely to suffer from symptoms of fatigue• Have changes to their behaviour, such as being withdrawn, irritable and

less communicative

Buncefield fire

Effects of feeling stressed

Local Incident

Compared to normal, a frustrated person will be more likely to:• Deviate from the safe system of work• Rush their task and take unnecessary risks• Display negative behaviours such as angry outbursts or being irritable• Make mistakes more easily• Find it harder to concentrate or make clear decisions• Lose focus and be less motivated in their work• Make more errors in judgement • Be less observant and aware of immediate hazards and risks• Suffer from symptoms of stress

Effects of feeling frustrated

Gulf of Mexico Local Incident

Leaving us feeling

Energised

Relaxed

Satisfied

Enhanced concentration

Good decisions

Effective risk control

Workplace factors

Controlled working hours

Manageable workload

Excellent welfare facilities

Plenty of rest breaks

Lifestyle habits

Healthy diet

Good hydration

Active lifestyle

Plenty of sleep

Good health and wellbeing = good safety

Personal Medical AssessmentsFor all employees

• Body composition• Blood pressure• Heart rate• BMI and body fat percentage• Metabolic rate• Lung function (lung age vs actual age)• Total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol level (the ‘good’

cholesterol) • Diabetes check• Cardiac risk• PSA test (prostate cancer) – males over 40 years of

age only• Health questionnaire and advice –lifestyle, smoking,

perceived stress level and sleep• Bowel test (colon cancer)

Building resilienceFor all employees • Emotional resilience for managers

• Building personal resilience for all employees

• Having the ‘critical conversation’

Team health challenge 2014What are you going to do as a team?

Go for a walk? Visit a nature reserve?

Try a new sport?