Every day, Robert Fisher speaks to employers and employees all over Scotland about all the issues they face in trying to improve safety and health in the workplace. Robert not only understands the challenges involved in running a business and promoting staff health and well-being, it’s his team’s job to help.

Robert manages the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives National Adviceline, a free and confidential phone service run by the NHS in Scotland that’s available to all organisations, regardless of their size or the sector they are in.

Thousands of employers and employees call the Adviceline every year for advice on improving health in their workplaces. They get immediate access to expert advice on occupational health and safety and improving staff health and well-being, all tailored to the needs of their business.

The Adviceline is staffed by trained advisers who give guidance on how health and safety legislation relates to their circumstances whether they are an employer or employee, as well as offering advice on staff health and well-being.

The topics they can help with range from reducing the risk of physical hazards in the workplace, such as those linked to using heavy equipment or chemicals, dealing with occupational health issues, including back problems and stress and providing guidance on workplace drugs and alcohol policies and breastfeeding when employees return to work.

Robert says that the Adviceline does more than just give the facts – there is also guidance on how the law applies to their business. “We don’t just give people information on the legislation,” he says. “We try to go beyond that and say that legislation applies under these circumstances – it’s very much about offering them solutions that fit their needs.”

Advisers can put callers in touch with other specialist colleagues in the Healthy Working Lives team located throughout Scotland if they need advice on health promotion issues, including smoking, healthy eating and mental health and well-being.

And employers can also find out more on signing up for the Healthy Working Lives Award Programme, which has been specially designed to help businesses work towards improving health in the workplace.

Robert emphasises that its role is to support employers and employees to help themselves. “It’s basically about ensuring that organisations know what their responsibilities are and to give them some practical help,” he explains.

“A lot of the time, they don’t know what they should be doing. They might be doing too much and spending too much money, when there is a solution that is much more cost effective.”

And he adds that those running small and medium-sized enterprises may benefit most. “The employer has so many conflicting demands, and we are trying to help them to operate in a safer manner and improve business performance,” he says.

“It’s especially useful for the small business that doesn’t have the funds to send someone on a training course or to get a consultant. As part of the NHS, we are free and confidential.”

In addition to advice over the phone, small and medium sized businesses can also request a free occupational health and safety workplace visit, which involves a trained adviser carrying out an assessment and then offering clear and detailed advice on priorities for improving safety and health in the workplace. Employers are then offered a follow-up visit to review progress, and for ongoing queries, the Adviceline is always available.

“Employers can phone the adviceline or email us through our website as often as they like,” adds Robert. “Our whole service is about helping people to help themselves – and supporting them to develop their skills, knowledge and experience in dealing with workplace health issues.”

You can call the Healthy Working Lives National Adviceline on 0800 019 2211. It’s free and it’s confidential.

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