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Corporate Business / COHSEW knowledge

Occupational Health

Strategic worker-health governance that connects prevention, surveillance and organisational decisions.
People taking part in a structured health and wellbeing activity
COHSEW field perspectivePhoto via Unsplash

Objective

What this area means for safer, healthier and more responsible operations.

Occupational health protects and promotes workers’ physical, mental and social wellbeing. Corporate leadership should ensure access to competent advice, prevention-oriented programmes, confidentiality, worker participation and escalation of material health risks.

COHSEW principleUse competent, risk-based assurance to prevent harm, verify control and support continual improvement.

Priority controls

Where organisations should focus.

Priorities must be adapted to the organisation, activity, location, affected people and applicable legal requirements.

01

Board visibility of health risks and trends

Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.

02

Prevention and hierarchy-of-control investment

Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.

03

Confidential surveillance and referral systems

Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.

04

Worker participation and health equity

Define ownership, expected evidence, monitoring and escalation before relying on this control.

How COHSEW supports you

From risk question to measurable assurance.

Our specialists help organisations select proportionate methods, preserve independence and turn technical evidence into action.

  1. 01
    Set governance responsibilities and escalation thresholds

    Agree the scope, accountable owner, evidence and success measures, then review effectiveness over time.

  2. 02
    Integrate health evidence into operational decisions

    Agree the scope, accountable owner, evidence and success measures, then review effectiveness over time.

  3. 03
    Review outcomes for contractors and vulnerable groups

    Agree the scope, accountable owner, evidence and success measures, then review effectiveness over time.

Authoritative guidance

Continue with the primary sources.

These external resources informed this page. Always confirm current national law, regulator guidance and contractual requirements for your location.

Information on this page supports awareness and programme design. It is not legal, medical or regulatory advice, does not reproduce the full text of any standard and does not replace competent assessment of your specific circumstances.

Need a programme for Occupational Health?

Define the right scope with a COHSEW specialist.

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