News

Experts have said that given the lack of evidence available on the COVID-19 virus a precautionary approach should be followed, with the adoption of good occupational hygiene principles to protect workers. In order to do this a higher level of respiratory protective equipment should be provided to…

The safety of thousands of British workers has been put at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic because they have been denied standard health and safety protection, says one of the UK’s leading experts in occupational health medicine, in an editorial published today in Occupational Medicine Journal…

A s the COVID-19 pandemic continues, The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) is today renewing its call for the UK government to prevent any further work-related deaths. Scores of UK healthcare workers have already died from COVID-19 infections and their deaths will be marked today at 11am with a…

Goal zero for work place fatalities in health and social care due to COVID-19 - Work related fatalities is not a given The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) has called on the UK government to now set a goal of Zero Work Caused Fatalities in this pandemic within the NHS, essential services and…

In the COVID-19 pandemic lives will inevitably be lost that could, in other circumstances, have been saved. This has the potential to cause moral injuries in key workers, according to a new editorial published in Occupational Medicine Journal. Hospitals are under significant pressure as the number…

COVID-19 testing should be available for key workers One vital aspect to control the spread of COVID-19 and support the response is testing. The Government has a target of 25,000 tests to be available through a swab - useful for patients and NHS staff. We are concerned with ethical practice where…

We have been approached by a number of OH doctors and nurses in the last few days, eager to volunteer their support and expertise to help the NHS occupational health community during the coronavirus pandemic. If you are able to support these efforts, please email admin@nhshealthatwork.co.uk…

After careful consideration of the rapidly changing situation relating to the Coronavirus outbreak, the Society of Occupational Medicine and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine have taken the decision to postpone the Occupational Health 2020 Conference and Exhibition and provisionally re-schedule…

A significant proportion of worldwide cases of coronavirus have been related to occupational exposure. All health personnel should be alert to the risk of COVID-19 in a wide variety of occupations, not only HCWs, according to an editorial from Professor David Koh published in Occupational Medicine…

Social workers providing care and support to people in distress are at risk of developing compassion fatigue, which is a risk factor for a deterioration in their own mental health, according to a new study published in Occupational Medicine journal. Social workers often provide care to people in…

On the 31st December 2019, the World Health Organization was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Less than two weeks later a novel coronavirus (2019n-CoV) was identified as the cause. Early on, many of the cases in Wuhan were reported to have a link to a…

The SOM has released a new report "The Value of Occupational Health to Workplace Wellbeing". The report was written by a team from the University of East Anglia led by Professor Kevin Daniels and Dr Jenny Napier. To view and download your free copy of the report, please click here.