Trades Hall calls on employers to do more to protect employee health

Trades Hall has called on employers to do more to protect their employees’ health.

Health and safety organiser Paul Sutton says employers need to be mindful of how their employees’ jobs impact on them.

Dr Sutton told Tony Jones factors such as shift length and patterns, inactivity, and the type of food available can affect employees’ health and ability to exercise.

The debate comes amid reports that employers are becoming increasingly concerned their workers are too fat to do their job.

Almost two-thirds of Australians are overweight, and the Herald Sun is reporting that lawyers have been flooded with complaints regarding ‘occupational obesity’.

Tony thinks people are responsible for their own health and diet, but Dr Sutton said it’s more complicated than that.

‘There’s a lot of things under the employer’s control that can be addressed to try and resolve these issues,’ he said.

Dr Sutton said if employers do have an issue with a worker’s weight, the conversation must be conducted in a ‘respectful and constructive manner’.

Click play for the full debate