Health protection resources for businesses

Legal requirements

For advice on how to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety law, visit the Health and Safety Executive website. You can search for advice specific to your industry or on a particular topic. Of particular significance in our health protection work are the COSHH regulations, which cover among other things risks arising from chemicals and biological agents (germs).

Health and wellbeing at work

Acas has produced a range of resources to help promote health and wellbeing at work. Find out more by visiting the Acas website.

Respiratory illness, including COVID-19

Specific advice on respiratory illness, including COVID-19, is available here:

Reducing the spread of respiratory infections including COVID-19 in the workplace.

Controlling respiratory infections in the workplace will help you to maintain a healthy workforce and assist with business continuity. Key points to consider are:

• encouraging and enabling vaccination - book a COVID-19 vaccination
• good ventilation - ventilation resources
• regular and effective cleaning, especially of hand contact points
• following the guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection such as COVID-19 if a member of staff is unwell with symptoms of a respiratory infection
• regular and effective handwashing especially after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, before you eat or handle food, after coming into contact with surfaces touched by many others, such as handrails, and shared areas such as kitchens and bathrooms and when returning home
• good respiratory hygiene - cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. Put used tissues in a bin and immediately wash your hands or use hand sanitiser. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.

If you have high rates of staff absence, or staff are becoming seriously unwell, and you would like further advice email healthprotectionhub@telford.gov.uk.

Managing drug and alcohol misuse at work

The Health and Safety Executive has produced a step-by-step guide for employers on managing drug and alcohol misuse at work.

Stress, mental health and employee wellbeing

Aside from the human cost, a 2022 study by Deloitte found that poor mental health costs UK employers up to £56 billion a year, a 25% increase on the costs identified by the same study in 2019.

Telford & Wrekin Council and Enterprise Telford have joined forces with Telford Mind to help local businesses address mental health in the workplace. To access their services and for links to other relevant materials visit: Telford Mind.

In terms of practical actions people can take, mental health charity Mind promotes the five ways to wellbeing detailed below:

Connect - there is strong evidence that indicates that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is a fundamental human need and one that contributes to functioning well in the world. It’s clear that social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing and for acting as a buffer against mental ill health for people of all ages. With this in mind, try to do something different today and make a connection.

• talk to someone instead of sending an email
• speak to someone new
• ask how someone’s weekend was and really listen when they tell you
• put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is
• give a colleague a lift to work or share the journey home with them.

Be active - regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups. Exercise is essential for slowing age-related cognitive decline and for promoting well-being. But it doesn’t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good - slower-paced activities, such as walking, can have the benefit of encouraging social interactions as well providing some level of exercise. Today, why not get physical? Here are a few ideas:

• take the stairs not the lift
• go for a walk at lunchtime
• walk into work - perhaps with a colleague - so you can ‘connect’ as well
• get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the final part of your journey to work
• organise a work sporting activity
• have a kick-about in a local park
• do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave for work in the morning
• walk to someone’s desk instead of calling or emailing.

Take notice reminding yourself to ‘take notice’ can strengthen and broaden awareness. Studies have shown that being aware of what is taking place in the present directly enhances your well-being and savouring ‘the moment’ can help to reaffirm your life priorities. Heightened awareness also enhances your self-understanding and allows you to make positive choices based on your own values and motivations. Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas:

• get a plant for your workspace
• have a ‘clear the clutter’ day
• take notice of how your colleagues are feeling or acting
• take a different route on your journey to or from work
• visit a new place for lunch.

Learn - continued learning through life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the opportunity to engage in work or educational activities particularly helps to lift older people out of depression. The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been strongly associated with higher levels of wellbeing. Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas:

• find out something about your colleagues
• sign up for a class
• read the news or a book
• set up a book club
• do a crossword or Sudoku
• research something you’ve always wondered about
• learn a new word.

Give - participation in social and community life has attracted a lot of attention in the field of wellbeing research. Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy. Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing.

Last updated: 04/10/2022 08:29