Health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing policy

Northumbrian Water sets high standards for the safety and wellbeing of our employees, contractors, suppliers, customers and communities in every area in which we operate.

We will ensure we comply with relevant legislation that applies all of our activities, seeking to improve performance and achieve best practice standards.

We are committed to maintaining health and safety as a business priority and promoting a positive health and safety culture.  Our objective is to protect our employees from work related risks through health and safety risk management and encourage them to strive for high standards of health and wellbeing.

We currently have the health and safety certificate OHSAS 18001 : 1999 (number GB07/3489).

Health and wellbeing action plan

• We will ensure that appropriate resources are available to maintain, monitor and, where necessary, improve health and safety performance.

• We will communicate and consult effectively on all health and safety matters at every level of the business.

• Regular liaison with the statutory authorities, industry and professional bodies will be maintained through active involvement.

• Ensure that employees who have roles where health and safety and compliance related training, and/or occupational health needs are key requirements, have an accurate and up to date record of their training needs, fitness standards and health surveillance requirements, that clearly demonstrate that individual’s are competent and fit to carry out specific tasks.

• Continue to provide guidance and support to employees who wish to proactively attain, maintain or improve their health and wellbeing.

• Introduction of a number of health promotion programmes or initiatives to improve health, safety and wellbeing.

• Anyone in a safety critical role must pass a medical specific to their job and have successfully completed the necessary training to be safe and competent. These training and occupational health standards are defined for each role and employees are issued with a passport - mypassport - which allows them to demonstrate that they have met the standards.

Health and wellbeing KPIs

• Each Department will be subject to an annual health and safety audit through QEMS management, ensuring compliance with health and safety policies and procedures.

• 90% of eligible managers to have attended senior manager medicals by March 2008.

• 60% of eligible employees to have attended health screening by March 2009.

• 90% of managers and team leaders have attended ‘managing pressure’ training by September 2008

• Sickness absence sustainably reduced to 2.85% by March 2009.

• Use internal communications to communicate health and safety information, methods of communications include:  health and safety alerts and guidance notes, team briefings, awareness sessions, road-shows, training, H&S committee action logs, H&S notice boards, company website and standard company newsletters and magazines.

• Refresh and maintain individual mypassports and issue to employees as required and to new starters within 12 weeks of joining the Company.

• Introduce an annual health and wellbeing calendar of activities, including urban walks, health eating, smoking cessation, etc between June 2007 and February 2008.

• By September 2007, introduce a stress policy, stress management guide and managing pressure workshop/self development materials.

• By January 2008 identify a specialist partner and introduce new methods of preventing and managing musculoskeletal injury and strain.

Health and wellbeing case study

Health Assessments

As part of our approach to health and wellbeing employees can book themselves in for a free lifestyle health assessment with Grosvenor Health. With one quick and easy appointment employees can get on the spot information about health matters, without the disruption of booking an appointment with their GP.

The health assessment is a 20 minute confidential appointment to run through a series of standard tests that should give an understanding of the individuals overall health. The tests include measuring height and weight, with a body mass index scale along with blood pressure tests and pulse readings. There are also more detailed cholesterol and cardiovascular risk tests, urinalysis and vision tests, and a short question and answer session on health and lifestyle. At the end of the assessment employees receive confidential analysis and advice, the results are available immediately so that employees don’t have to wait longer than their appointment time to see them. If the employees have any concerns the Grosvenor Health representatives will talk through the results and, if necessary, will complete a referral form to pass to the employee’s GP which contains all of the relevant information.

Each employee is entitled to a health assessment every three years and it is available to those who do not receive a mandatory medical as part of their role.

Here are some of the comments made by employees who have benefited from a lifestyle health assessment.

“I used to play a lot of football when I was younger and I was starting to worry about my fitness and health from not getting that usual exercise so it is reassuring to know that I’m still reasonably healthy.”
Mick Sproat

“I very rarely have the time to visit the doctor’s and even then, you don’t feel like taking time off just to ask for a check-up.”
Hazel Burlison

“Because you are young and feel good you don’t generally bother with doctors, but the assessments weren’t scary and were quite interesting. I’m glad to know that I’m alright.”
Helen Story

“Firstly it was free, and secondly, it was a good opportunity to get a check up. Because it’s office based and quick, it wasn’t disruptive at all, plus it’s always reassuring to find out that your health is on track.”
Nicky Fenn

“I went for the check-up and although I consider myself very relaxed, I had high blood pressure and was advised to take my results to a GP and discuss it further. It was good that this test brought to light something that may have caused problems in the future.”
Paul Sirdifield