The Building Engineering Services Association (the BESA) has launched a major initiative on occupational health, in collaboration with the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) and Constructing Better Health.

The collaboration aims to provide essential information and support on occupational health and starts with a health and safety survey undertaken across the building engineering services sector.

The move follows the construction industry's recent Occupational Health Summit, which was attended by chief executives and directors of construction firms and trade bodies, including senior representatives of the building engineering services sector.

Technical director of the BESA, Tim Rook, said: “The construction environment is among the most demanding to work in, and the health of those involved is a crucial consideration.”

“The results of the survey will help us to target and promote best practice among both on-site operatives and managers. I would encourage everyone to take part as fully and honestly as they can, so as to maximise the value of the initiative to the sector, the wider industry and their own businesses.”

Paul Reeve, director of business services at the ECA, said that there were numerous examples of effective occupational health provision in the sector.

He said: “Managed properly, this delivers business benefits and the career health of tens of thousands of engineering employees, but while there have been major sector-wide improvements in workplace safety, many contractors still struggle with occupational health. Our survey aims to find out much more about the current situation, to give us an informed baseline for helping contractors to engage with both physical and mental health issues.”

He continued: “We urge all building services contractors to complete this short, confidential questionnaire, so we have the best possible information to help the sector move forward with cost-effective occupational health management.”

In addition, Bob Blackman MBE, chairman of Constructing Better Health, said: “Our collaborative survey will help us to further demystify the cloudy perceptions about occupational health and target those areas where all our members and industry colleagues aren’t making the most of the resources at hand.”

“The most important message to share is that occupational health management exists to ensure that your job doesn’t affect your health negatively. Ill health impacts physical and economic well-being, so utilise all occupational health services available to you. There is help at hand.”

The deadline for response is Wednesday 13 April and the results of the survey will be shared with key stakeholders across the industry in the second quarter of the year.

The occupational health survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/S96JWSC.