With Charlie Foulger, Rapid Health & Wellbeing

In the construction industry, health and safety is paramount. Most companies in the industry, rightly, concentrate on the safety element, in order to protect their staff. However, the health part is often overlooked.

At Embassy Site Services, we have recently partnered with Rapid Health & Wellbeing to provide occupational health services for our staff. In our latest Spotlight Sessions podcast, we spoke with Rapid Health’s Charlie Foulger, who explained his crucial work across the industry.

But what is occupational health, and why is it so important for the construction industry?

What is Occupational health?

Occupational health is a medical speciality that focuses on the health of employees in the workplace. It considers how work affects employees’ health and how employees’ health affects their work. Occupational health professionals aim to ensure that employees are physically and emotionally fit to perform their jobs safely.

Charlie highlighted the importance of comprehensive support for employees, stating, “We offer a range of services, including health assessments and health MOTs, training, and support for mental health issues.”

This is of course, especially important for the construction industry.

Physical Health 

Physical Health encompasses everything from a person’s height and weight to cholesterol levels and blood pressure. You can think of physical health as 

Charlie undertakes “Health MOTs” for workers which include a full body check-up to ensure workers are fit and healthy to undertake work. These MOTs also allow workers to ask questions and learn about their health

Mental Health

“Mental health is just as important as physical health.” 

While conversations around mental health, especially in the construction industry, are increasing, occupational health services like Rapid Health and Wellbeing are bringing the conversation forward within the workplace.

With a large majority of workers in the industry being men, it’s important that we break the stigma. Charlie went on to say “The construction industry often faces challenges related to the stigma surrounding mental health, but we strive to create a supportive environment in our health check sessions.”

Through conversations with workers, Charlie and his team can assess how workers are finding their jobs and see how both the physical and mental sides are linked together.

Charlie emphasised the importance of addressing both physical and mental health concerns together, stating, “Occupational health goes beyond ensuring workers are physically fit. It’s about addressing mental health concerns and providing support for individuals facing challenges.”

Why is Occupational Health important for the construction industry?

Working in construction is dangerous. As an industry, safety has come on leaps and bounds in the past 2 decades especially. However, the health and wellbeing of construction workers are equally important. Poor health of workers can impact on the safety measures we as an industry deploy across our sites.

“By prioritising the well-being of its workforce, companies can improve safety, productivity, and overall employee satisfaction.”

Charlie detailed an occasion where his work has helped someone gain crucial intervention from their GP:

There was one instance where I was meeting a new client and while I was having a tour of the site, a person came up to me, in front of the prospective client, and said, oh, Charlie, you know, I remember you.

He said, I’m so pleased that I saw you because that helped me gain, some access to my GP with regards to my blood pressure. You told me at the time that my blood pressure was elevated. Since then, I’ve seen my GP and they’ve put me on medication.

“That’s brought my blood pressure down and potentially, you know, you saved my life.”

This intervention undoubtedly changed the worker’s life for the better, and they may not have had this spotted due to the increased wait times on the NHS, which is affecting us all. Because of this, Charlie went on to say, “It’s important we bring the practice back to the workplace. Early detection and intervention are crucial for preventing health problems from escalating.”

Many thanks to Charlie for speaking to our team and highlighting the importance of occupational health in the construction industry. You can learn more about Occupational Health by watching the full podcast here: