SOM members can join Special Interest Groups (SIGs) as part of their membership. SIGs tackle pressing occupational and workplace health issues, agree best practice, facilitate networking and sharing of invaluable expertise. SIGs produce guidance (available in our publications catalogue), review cases, share presentations and useful resources. Join the SOM to access SIGs, and then email rose.wood@som.org.uk to join a meeting.
Current SIGs cover the following:
- Audit
- Allied Health Professionals
- Construction and Health Surveillance
- DOcc Med (register here)
- Drugs and Alcohol
- Functional Assessment
- HAVS - SOM’s voluntary register for HAVS is for appropriately trained doctors or nurses demonstrating that they have met the training and competency requirements for health surveillance for a workforce exposed to hand-transmitted vibration, and in the diagnosis and management of an individual with HAVS. Details here.
- Long term conditions, including long-Covid
- Lung function
- OH Marketing
- Mental Health
- Mining
- Neurodiversity
- Noise Induced Hearing Loss
- Nuclear Industry Ionising Radiation (by invitation only)
- Occupational, Health and Work Psychology
- Occupational Health Technicians
- Occupational Health in TV, Film and Media (by invitation only)
- Pensions
- Portfolio (CESR)
- Safeguarding (by invitation only)
- Skin
- Sole Practitioners
- Transport (by invitation only)
Note: for invite only SIGs, please send through relevant experience in that particular field.
SOM also hosts groups that include non-SOM members, such as the MSK at Work Network, a Women’s Health at Work Network, a Sleep and Work steering group (see resources below), and the independent Academic Forum on work and health here. Contact rose.wood@som.org.uk to join.
Sleep and work resources:
- SOM: Good practice for night workers here.
- NHS Employers: Sleep, fatigue and the workplace here.
- Health, Safety and Wellbeing of Shift workers – guidance, developed in partnership with trade unions and incorporating HSE guidance here as well as recommendations from the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors here.
SOM's Occupational Health Technicians SIG agreed on a Career Path of OH Technicians. SOM has worked with Occupational Health Technicians (OHTs) to define their skills and a new OHT qualification was launched, the Open Awards Level 3 Certificate for Occupational Health Technicians, offering professional development opportunities for individuals wanting to move into occupational health or OHTs who want to increase their skills. The Group has also agreed a code of conduct.
GPs are welcome to sign up to the free OH GP Bulletin which provides key updates on work and health issues.