Search starts for Games workforce health care

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today announced it will be providing wide-ranging health care services to support the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games construction work-force and began the search for a provider.

The ODA is looking for a company to help develop and implement an industry-leading occupational health programme for the thousands of workers who will be employed to build the venues and infrastructure of the Olympic Park.

Services will include first aid and health services to the workers on site, a new medical centre on the Olympic Park and annual health checks for every worker – 9,000 at the peak of construction.

According to Government data, the average time lost annually through ill health in construction is 29 days per worker. For a three year project employing up to 9,000 workers this could mean over 750,000 lost days. These measures will reduce both the incidence and impact of work related illness.

David Higgins, Chief Executive of the ODA said:

"Health and safety is fundamental to everything we do. It is not just about preventing accidents but promoting health. This is going to be one of the largest and most complex construction projects in the UK and we will be employing thousands of workers on site during the peak of construction. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce."

The contract is due to be awarded in July 2007 and the successful provider will be required to provide health facilities on the Olympic Park site from October 2007.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• An advertisement has been published today.
• More information on procurement can be found on the eTendering portal
• In July 2006, the ODA published its Health and Safety Standard, which sets out how the ODA will aim is to be a best-practice organisation in health and safety performance, fully compliant with applicable UK and European legislation and standards and continually improving. The creation and implementation of the ODA Standard is the policy for delivering this best-practice and the centralised provision of OHS is the key delivery vehicle for this excellence

Media Enquiries - Contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on 020 3 2012 700