Skip to main content
IOSH Magazine: Safety, Health and Wellbeing in the world of work - return to the homepage IOSH Magaazine logo
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit @ioshmagazine on Twitter
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on LinkedIn
Gender equality
Practice meets perfect
May/June 2023 issue

Main navigation

  • Home
    • Browse previous issues
    • Member accolades
    • Member tributes
  • Health
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Sickness absence
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Rehabilitation
      • Personal injury
      • Return to work
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Achieving Fellowship
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Professional skills
      • Qualifications
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Jobs
  • Covid-19
  • Knowledge Bank
    • Back to basics
    • Book club
    • Infographics
    • Podcast
    • Reports
    • Webinars
    • Videos
  • Products & Services
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Sickness absence
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Leadership
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Qualifications
      • Professional skills
      • Achieving Fellowship
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Transport and logistics
  • Third sector
  • Retail
  • Mining and quarrying
  • Rail
  • Rehabilitation
    • Personal injury
    • Return to work
  • Utilities
  • Manufacturing and engineering
  • Construction
  • Sector: IOSH Branch
    • Sector: Northern Ireland
    • Sector: Midland
    • Sector: Merseyside
    • Sector: Manchester and North West Districts
    • Sector: Ireland East
    • Sector: Ireland
    • Sector: Edinburgh
    • Sector: Desmond-South Munster
    • Sector: Qatar
    • Sector: Oman
    • Singapore
    • Sector: South Coast
    • Sector: South Wales
    • Sector: Thames Valley
    • Sector: Tyne and Wear
    • Sector: UAE
    • Sector: West of Scotland
    • Sector: Yorkshire
  • Healthcare
  • Sector: Fire
  • Sector: Financial/general services
  • Sector: Energy
  • Education
  • Sector: Communications and media
  • Chemicals
  • Sector: Central government
  • Catering and leisure
  • Agriculture and forestry
  • Sector: Local government
  • Sector: IOSH Group
    • Sector: Financial Services
    • Sector: Sports Grounds and Events
    • Rural industries
    • Sector: railway
    • Public Services
    • Sector: Offshore
    • Sector: Hazardous Industries
    • Sector: Food and Drink
    • Sector: Fire Risk Management
    • Education
    • Construction
    • Sector: Aviation and Aerospace
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Categories
  • News
COVID-19
Disability
Return to work

Second wave support for vulnerable employees

Open-access content Rhian Greaves — Friday 27th November 2020
From the archive:  Just so you know, this article is more than 2 years old.
How to keep vulnerable workers safe during the pandemic.

iStock

The clinically extremely vulnerable are considered to be at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and yet research by disability charity Scope found that 22% of disabled employees have had their requests to alter working patterns declined.

So can the clinically vulnerable safely be at work? And what can you, as an employer, do to achieve the outcome that not only best serves your business, but also looks after the individual employee?

1. Identification

First, you need to know which of your employees is clinically extremely vulnerable. Help is at hand in the form of the UK government's guidance. Those employees will have been directly contacted by the NHS to confirm their status. It is important to bear in mind the distinction between those employees and those who are clinically vulnerable. Public Health England's report Disparities in the Risk and Outcomes of COVID-19 identifies the following higher risk groups:

  • older males
  • those with a high BMI
  • those with certain underlying conditions such as diabetes
  • people from some BAME backgrounds.

These groups are said to be clinically vulnerable. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirms no additional measures are required for the clinically vulnerable, but you must stringently apply existing controls (such as hand hygiene, social distancing, etc).

This position is supported by the Consensus Statement issued this week by PHE, the HSE and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, which looked specifically at ethnic minority groups. Calling for a coherent and culturally competent response, the statement recommends, 'with moderate confidence that all individuals, including those from ethnic minority groups, should have the same approach to risk management in the workplace'.

2. Risk assessment

For each clinically extremely vulnerable employee, create a risk assessment, which takes into account their particular condition but also the rigours of their usual job role. Document this and use it as a starting point for your decision-making when managing the individual’s work.

3. Seek guidance

Since lockdown first eased, there has been a deluge of new guidance for employers to digest and implement, but keeping abreast of the latest versions is vital. Consider not just government guidance and that of the HSE, but also the invaluable learning available from specialist groups, with expertise in the particular conditions you may be managing. Many charities have dedicated resources to help.

4. Work location

Where an employee is clinically extremely vulnerable, they should continue to work from home where possible. Don’t forget, you should risk assess this too and provide support with ergonomic and mental health and wellbeing concerns.

5. Consider the alternatives

Some employees may not be able to work at home or cannot do their usual job role because of their particular vulnerability. Where this is the case, is there an alternative role they can fulfil? Currently, many of these challenging discussions have been deferred, with the furlough scheme providing the financial support employers need to delay this decision. With the scheme now extended to March 2021, for many employers this will be a dilemma they hope to fudge until employees have been vaccinated.

6. Collaborate

Where employees are required to be at the workplace, engage with them early. What are their concerns?  How can you support them? Listen to what they say and invite their suggestions as to ways of working that not only meet business needs but also achieve both COVID-19 compliance and peace of mind for the individual. The more of a joint effort this can be, the greater the likely success.

7. Explain control measures

Having identified the working method for the individual, talk to them again.  Explain what you will do and why.  This might include clarifying the practical boundaries of what is and is not achievable. Care will be needed to avoid any new arrangements from unduly burdening other employees, particularly if you have fewer present in the workplace than normal. A close eye on the demands placed on others is key.

8. Create a champion

You may consider creating champions, who can form part of the risk assessment process and can also be a sounding board for both you and the employee as new working methods develop. Invite the employee to keep talking to the champion as their return to work progresses. Current health and safety champions may be readymade for this role.

9. Monitor

You should always monitor the success or otherwise of your health and safety measures and this is no different. As you and the worker adjust, be mindful of the need to keep your risk assessment under review and to update this and the associated control measures if needed. 

10. Keep learning

Knowledge about the virus is advancing daily. Just as we realised the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on those from BAME backgrounds during the first wave, so the second will undoubtedly bring new details of those most at risk. Keeping on top of the latest developments is vital. And remember workers may become vulnerable – ensure you have a process to become aware of this. That means an open door to those who have a new diagnosis, begin certain treatments or become pregnant.

The extension of the furlough scheme will undoubtedly assist a great number of employers but it is clear that many employees are finding it difficult to achieve a working life that is acceptable to them. While the guidance provides general principles to work towards, only a case by case examination of the individual and their job role will enable this challenging balance to be struck.   

Rhian Greaves is a regulatory lawyer for Pannone Corporate

 

You may also be interested in...

A leading lawyer clarifies the position after questions were raised as to how employers, already under pressure from the effects of the pandemic, should interpret reporting requirements.

 COVID-19: updated reporting guidance for employers

Tuesday 10th November 2020
A leading lawyer clarifies the position after questions were raised as to how employers, already under pressure from the effects of the pandemic, should interpret reporting requirements.
Open-access content
The United Nations (UN) is calling on private sector employers to put in place measures that help prevent domestic abuse and invest resources that better protect and support employees who are victims of domestic abuse.

 COVID-19 a ‘perfect storm’ for domestic abuse

Monday 2nd November 2020
The United Nations (UN) is calling on private sector employers to put in place measures that help prevent domestic abuse and invest resources that better protect and support employees who are victims of domestic abuse.
Open-access content
Site workers are confusing RPE and PPE, dust blitz finds

 Dust blitz catches COVID breaches

Friday 30th October 2020
Site workers are confusing RPE and PPE, dust blitz finds
Open-access content
Survey of doctors’ mental health

 Almost half of doctors’ mental health has worsened since COVID-19, study reveals

Wednesday 28th October 2020
A study by the British Medical Association has revealed the toll the pandemic has taken on healthcare workers.
Open-access content
Prison service censured by the HSE

 Prison service censured over petrol bomb training

Friday 27th November 2020
Nine prison officers sustained serious burns in disorder exercise.
Open-access content
A recycling firm in Scotland has been convicted of safety failures fined £264k after a waste machine worker was fatally struck by a heavy object.

 Recycling firm fined £264k over shredder death

Tuesday 24th November 2020
A recycling firm in Scotland has been convicted of safety failures fined £264k after a waste machine worker was fatally struck by a heavy object.
Open-access content
Topics
News
COVID-19
Disability
Return to work
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Health and Safety Improvement Manager

Leeds
£35000 - £50000 per annum
Reference
5452992

SHEQ Systems Advisor

Up to £40000.00 per annum + Car Allowance
Reference
5452988

Senior Health and Safety Manager

Reading
Up to £65000.00 per annum + Great Car Allowance & Benefits
Reference
5452983
See all jobs »

Sign up for regular e-alerts

Receive the latest news and features, free to your inbox

Sign up

Subscribe to IOSH magazine

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
IOSH Covers
​
FOLLOW US
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
CONTACT US
Contact us
Tel +44 (0)20 7880 6200
​

IOSH

About IOSH
Become a member
IOSH Events
MyIOSH

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to IOSH magazine
Write for IOSH magazine

IOSH Magazine

Health
Safety
Management
Skills
IOSH Jobs

© 2023 IOSH • IOSH is not responsible for the content of external sites

ioshmagazine.com and IOSH Magazine are published by Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ