Ethics Guidance for Occupational Health Practice 9th Edition - Book - Page 71
4. Workplace Ethical Issues and Fitness for
Work
Introduction
4.01. A significant aspect of occupational health practice is supporting workers and
employers to navigate the complex interface between health and work. This
requires practitioners to balance clinical judgement with legal and
organisational responsibilities while ensuring that individual workers are treated
fairly, respectfully and in accordance with ethical and professional standards.
Occupational health input spans the entire course of a person’s working life:
from entering employment, through periods of health, illness and recovery, and
sometimes exiting work due to ill health. This chapter outlines the ethical
principles that underpin each element of that continuum, recognising the
unique position of occupational health at the intersection of clinical care,
employment law, organisational priorities and individual rights.
4.02. The chapter is structured around the key areas where occupational health
contributes to varying employment situations: preemployment health
assessments,
immunisation,
statutory
health
surveillance
and
risk management, drug and alcohol testing, health promotion, sickness absence
management, capability and disciplinary fitness, and ill-health retirement.
Pre-employment health assessment
4.03. The rationale for having any pre-employment health assessment process should
be established before implementation and it should be reviewed periodically to
ensure that it remains fit for purpose. Criteria to justify such a scheme should
be based upon a thorough risk assessment and relevant legislation including
the Equality Act 2010 47. Having established that there is a requirement for a
pre-employment health assessment, the nature of the process must be defined.
4.04. Pre-employment health assessments should be confined to criteria essential for
the job and to identify applicants who require adjustments in the workplace.
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