Tackling work-related ill health among construction apprentices could save the Scottish economy more than £30m over the next decade, a new study has found.

The figures have been released by Constructing Better Health Scotland (CBH Scotland), which is now launching a campaign to improve occupational health management within the Scottish construction sector.

The campaign is being organised in association with the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives and the Scottish Building Federation (SBF).

It is understood that a key element of the new campaign is to introduce baseline health checks for all apprentices entering the industry.

Recently, a survey of SBF members revealed that just 27% of those that currently employ apprentices provide them with a baseline health check when they join the company. CBH Scotland says this situation means many new recruits at risk, or suffering from, long-term health problems will go undetected and will not receive the occupational health support they need.

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Using analysis from the Health and Safety Executive, CBH Scotland estimates that the current cost of occupational ill health in the Scottish construction industry is £66m per year or £386 for every worker employed in the industry.

CBH Chief Executive Michelle Aldous said: "CBH Scotland has been established to work with employers to improve the long-term health and wellbeing of those working in the Scottish construction industry.

"Our research shows that proactively managing the occupational health of new building apprentices through systematic baseline health checks could save the Scottish economy more than £30 million by 2024.

"These checks are easy and cost-effective to complete and will enable us to monitor and manage the occupational health of the Scottish construction workforce over time.

"At the same time, a more proactive approach to occupational health management will save industry employers and the wider economy significant sums of money in the longer term."

(JP/IT)