Occupational health

The European Union Framework Directive (EEC/89/391) on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work requires that all workers have access to preventive occupational health (OH) services. However, the way this duty was transposed into UK law meant that in practice only a small minority of workers have access to comprehensive OH support at work.

The government’s previous national occupational health service, Fit for Work, closed at the end of March 2018 after less than three years of operation.

Web-based advice and details of the occupational health services available to businesses via the NHS can be found at the NHS Health at Work website.