How can new health risks be identified before they become workplace health
problems?

Background

To increase our understanding of the extent, harm, costs and preventability of work- related ill health. Specifically, focussing on the most common causes of work-related ill health in GB – work related stress, musculoskeletal disorders and respiratory ill health. DWP and DHSC Joint Work and Health Directorate (“the joint unit”) and HSE cooperate and collaborate on matters concerning their respective health responsibilities. This includes matters of mutual interest such as research with employers into demographics, occupational psychology and behavioural science, specific conditions and the workplace, work-related stress and mental health at work and musculoskeletal conditions. DWP, DHSC and HSE also collaborate on horizon scanning and foresight work in terms of considering work-related ill health outcomes.

Next steps

Get in touch with hsecsa@hse.gov.uk

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

HS Es Areas of Research Interest ARI 2023

Related UKRI funded projects

  • WorkWeLCC™ platform to improve access to OH services and improve worker health and work participation in SMEs

    The unique solution combines the use of the only technology to objectively assess the worker's ability to cope with job demands, with an accessible digital referral platform for SME managers and the self employed, and co...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: OXFORD MEDISTRESS LTD

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project is relevant as it uses a technology to assess the worker's ability to cope with job demands and identifies health risks before they become workplace health problems, but it does not fully answer the question as it does not specifically address how new health risks are identified.

  • Work and Health

    The mission of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit is to provide a centre of excellence which uses epidemiological methods to promote human health by delineating the environmental and occupational causes throughout the ...

    Funded by: MRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Southampton

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on work-related musculoskeletal disorders, which is one of the most common causes of work-related ill health in GB.

  • Using neuroscience, physiology and behavioural science to measure and improve workplace stress

    The project vision is to improve the management of work-related stress. The project will measure the long-term physiological response of employees in order to objectively assess stress and recovery levels. This will be l...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: BIOSTRESS LAB LTD

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on measuring and improving workplace stress, which is one of the common causes of work-related ill health in GB.

  • Revolutionising workplace stress

    The project vision is to revolutionise the management of work-related stress. By conducting real-world trials with large employers across a range of business sectors, the project will perfect and deliver a unique measure...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: BIOSTRESS LAB LTD

  • Work, Health and Well-being: an interdisciplinary approach to managing health in the workplace

    In general, work is seen as good for health and well-being and an aid to maintaining independence over the life course. Over the last few years more attention has been paid towards how people can continue to work from mi...

    Funded by: MRC

    Lead research organisation: Keele University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project explores the management of health conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions, and their influence on work in the middle and later stages of working life.

  • PROSPERH - Promoting Positive Mental and Physical Health at Work in a Changing Environment: A Multi-level Approach

    Recent years have seen rapid changes in the workplace arising from the digital and green transitions (‘twin transition’), as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. New forms of work and work management have arisen, which can aff...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: ST MARYS UNIVERSITY TWICKENHAM

  • University of Leeds and Lowell Financial Limited

    To increase workplace productivity by developing Human Resources systems and tools to enhance employee health and wellbeing support, by reducing emotional labour risks to mental health....

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

  • The development of an innovative platform to improve SMEs' ability to provide occupational health services to their workforce and performance in the workplace

    The COVID-19 pandemic brought into sharp relief the importance of employees' health and wellbeing at work, both physical and mental; and radically transformed the nature of work through increased hybrid working. Many lar...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: WELLICS LTD

    Why might this be relevant?

    Partially relevant as it focuses on occupational health services but not specifically on identifying new health risks.

  • Business Health Matters

    Business Health Matters is a collaboration between Active Lancashire, UCLan, ukactive, Lancashire Mind and a range of leisure service providers, focussed on workplace health and enabling people to live healthier working ...

    Funded by: ISCF

    Lead research organisation: ACTIVE LANCASHIRE LIMITED

  • How do healthy brains drive a healthy economy? A novel occupational neuroscience approach

    UK businesses are increasingly aware that long hours at work affect staff wellbeing. They are also increasingly conscious that poor staff wellbeing has a knock-on effect on workplace performance, and business outputs. A ...

    Funded by: FLF

    Lead research organisation: University of Sussex

Similar ARIs from other organisations

Enable disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay, and succeed in work, and get financial support What are the distributions and drivers of psychosocial and cultural factors that affect employment and health outcomes (for example, illness perceptions, health beliefs, workplace cultures)? Department for Work and Pensions, 2023
See details
Care for each other, work as a team, and be an attractive place to work Improving workforce wellbeing and reducing sickness Metropolitan Police, 2019
See details