Should OH come under HR or Health and Safety? Artwork

Working Well Sometimes...

I am a strategic adviser on health, safety and wellbeing based in the UK, having over 25 years in many types of industry from manufacturing, local government, railway and construction where I have advised some of the biggest (and the smallest).Most recently I worked in the NHS as a Covid 19 adviser during the pandemic.I explain things simply - why use a long word when a short one will do? Join me as I explain about health, safety and wellbeing from a business perspective, show the reason and the way to do it, and muse on the meaning of life in between.

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Working Well Sometimes...

Should OH come under HR or Health and Safety?

October 05, 2019 • Jane Coombs • Episode 12

I’ve worked in occupational health (OH) for years and advised many companies. Some businesses put OH in the H&S department and some in HR; only once was I in the Facilities department which was strange. You would think it wouldn’t matter where occupational health and wellbeing services might sit; but you would be wrong. There are distinct differences on how each function operates, and it isn’t just about the personality of those in charge.

HR and H&S have different priorities and given higher authority in the business depending on the industry. For example, when I worked in Constructing Better Health (CBH) – I worked with H&S professionals but in local government and the NHS it was always HR.

Listen to this podcast to see what I (an experienced OH practitioner and qualified safety professional) think is better and why.

Other references:

High Speed 2
Health and Safety at Work Act
The Good, the Bad, and the Smugly - Behind the Doors of Occupational Health - true stories of my time in OH, available to buy from Amazon

Read the script to the full podcast on my blog