February/March 2018 (vol. 14/5)

ContentsFeaturesNewsLegal NewsResearch DigestResearch PlusCPD

Personal Learning Zone in this issue

Summary:

FEATURED ARTICLES

This issue of Occupational Health [at Work] features a Personal Learning Zone (PLZ) article recommended for continuing professional development (CPD). The assignment questions, ‘Personal learning statement’ and ‘Certificate of engagement’ are available to subscribers at AWPcpd.  These will also be stored in your password-protected PLZ. The PLZ will help you document your own CPD. Occupational health physicians and nurses, occupational hygienists and other professionals can use the resource in support of their specialism’s revalidation or CPD requirements..

Pages 24–27. Back pain at work. Back pain is one of the leading causes of sickness absence. With the exception of a tiny minority of conditions caused by biomedical disease, most back pain disability results from a combination of interacting biological, psychological and social factors. Understanding these biopsychosocial factors can improve pain management and promote return to work.

ADDITIONAL CPD

The following articles, news and research items are suggested reading for CPD and professional revalidation. Subscribers can complete their online Personal Learning Zone CPD record at AWPcpd. 

Page 10-13. The Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that a serving police officer was directly discriminated against because a constabulary perceived that she had a disability that would in future mean her being placed on restricted duties.

Page 15-19. A catalogue of statutory breaches, including of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, led to general prosecution of a private healthcare provider for breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The underlying cause was the same in every case – the firm did not provide an adequately staffed and competent OH service.

Pages 20-23. Around 15% of medical notifications to the DVLA arise from third-party notifications rather than from licence holders/applicants themselves. OH professionals concerned about the fitness to drive of an individual can notify the DVLA directly if it is clear they will not make the notification themselves. If this is done without consent it must be ‘in the public interest.

Pages 35-37. Employers not only have responsibilities to protect employees’ mental health under health and safety law, but they must also comply with employment law, discrimination legislation and be cognisant of the decisions of the courts.

Pages 40–42 Our compendium of research reviews includes a trial assessing a simple workplace CBT intervention to help women manage menopause symptoms, and a prospective cohort study on heart-disease risks associated with prolonged standing at work.

Author: The At Work Partnership Ltd

Occupational Health at Work February/March 2018 (vol. 14/5) pp43

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