CLOCS is delighted to have Kate Walker, CEO of Diabetes Safety, join us for our CLOCS Member Meeting in May where she will discuss the impact of diabetes on businesses and discuss how to mitigate the business risks of diabetes, including presenteeism, absenteeism, early workforce exit, safety and regulatory.

With an increasing focus on driver road worthiness and the need to ensure those we put behind the wheels of the vehicles that service the construction industry are safe to drive, it is important that everyone has an understanding of diabetes, the risks it may present and how to address these.

Five million people in the UK have diabetes – that’s 1 in 12 working-age people – and around 90-95% of these people have type 2 diabetes, a largely preventable condition.

Type 2 diabetes is a national epidemic, having increased 60% in the last decade. By 2030, 1 in 10 working-age people will have diabetes and by 2045, it will be 1 in 8. More young people are now developing type 2 diabetes.

As an environmental condition, workplace factors, including access to healthy food, activity levels, stress and shift patterns, can significantly contribute to developing diabetes, and for people with diabetes, their ability to manage the condition effectively and prevent complications.

For every 1,000 employees:

• 82 employees have diabetes.
• 19 employees have undiagnosed diabetes, increasing the likelihood of complications and poor.
• health outcomes.
• 350 employees have ‘pre-diabetes.

So do you and your organisation know enough about diabetes or is it simply hiding in plain sight?

Click here to learn more about Diabetes Safety.

Additionally, CLOCS is delighted to be a supporter of the Tackling Diabetes Safety Charter and would urge other organisations to take a look and get involved.

The Charter has been developed to support companies to protect their staff from diabetes risk. Diabetes risk in the workplace is rarely highlighted, this charter intends to do just that and provide people with the knowledge of what to have in place.

By signing up to the Charter companies can make a commitment to increase staff understanding of diabetes, the associated risks and help remove the stigma. It also helps companies get the correct diabetes specific policies, risk assessments and diabetes first aid kits in place.