Category: Health benefits · Reviewed by Chrissie Anderson, Client Executive · Last reviewed 2026-06-10
An occupational health (OH) service supports an employer in assessing employees’ fitness for work, managing sickness absence, meeting statutory health and safety obligations, and protecting the health of the workforce. Typical OH services include pre-employment health screening, absence case management, workplace and DSE risk assessment, health surveillance for high-risk roles, vaccination and flu jabs, and OH referrals on individual cases. The Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians sets professional standards.
Category: Health benefits Also known as: OH service, OH Professional body: Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) Related concepts: Employer’s occupational health obligation, Health and Safety Executive HSE, Group health screening
OH practice is regulated by the General Medical Council (for doctors) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (for OH nurses). Standards are set by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (a faculty of the Royal College of Physicians). Most employers commission OH from an external specialist provider; very large employers (NHS Trusts, manufacturing, transport) may have in-house OH teams.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 imposes the general duty to ensure employees’ health, safety and welfare. Specific OH-relevant regulations include the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (health surveillance), the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017. The Equality Act 2010 imposes obligations to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, and OH advice is often central to that assessment.
Modern OH services typically include: pre-employment screening, fitness-for-work assessment, absence case management (OH referrals), workplace risk assessment, DSE assessment for hybrid workers, health surveillance under COSHH and other regulations, immunisation and travel health, and management training.
An employee returning from a six-month absence with back pain is referred to OH. The OH practitioner conducts a clinical assessment, a workplace visit, and recommends a phased return over four weeks with workstation adjustments and limited lifting under 10 kg. The employer implements the recommendations under the Equality Act 2010 reasonable adjustments duty.
This entry is part of the Apex Insurance Wiki. Last reviewed by Matt Bartlett on 2026-06-10. Next review: 2026-12-10.
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