What is Occupational Health?

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Committee on Occupational Health produced a definition of Occupational Health in 1950 which has stood the test of time and demonstrates the scope of the task:

'Occupational Health should aim at – the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well being of workers in all occupations; the prevention among workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health. To summarise, it concerns the adaption of work to people and of each person to their job.'

Occupational Health's principal role is the provision of health advice to organisations and individuals to ensure that the highest standards of Health and Safety at Work can be achieved and maintained.

As you can see from the rest of this website Occupational Health Services are wide and varied but all are aimed at ultimately aimed at ensure the employees' wellbeing is protected during the many hours they spend at work.