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Management

36 million working days lost to ill-health

Written by Adrie van der Luijt

Friday, 02 November 2007

Work-related ill health was responsible for a loss of 30 million working days in the past year, with a further 6 million days lost to workplace injury.

Statistics published by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) reveal that the average absence per employee was 1.5 days a year.

In 2006/7 there were 241 fatal injuries to workers, 141,350 reported major injuries to employees, and cases of ill health to employees, which led to more than three days off work. Although the longer-term trend in the fatal injury rate is downwards, there has been little change over the last five years.

In total, 2.2 million people were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work. Around three quarters of the cases involved limb or back problems, stress, depression or anxiety.

Overall, the statistics show a four per cent decline in injuries over the past year in the UK as a whole.

Most hazardous

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that over 6,000 people a year die of work-related cancer. Two-thirds of these deaths are caused by exposure to asbestos. A further 4,000 deaths are thought to be caused by past exposures to fumes, chemicals and dust in the workplace.

The report showed that the construction industry was the most hazardous area of work, with 475 fatal and major injuries in 2006/7. Construction and agriculture together account for 46 per cent of fatal injuries to workers, with 77 and 34 fatalities respectively.

The HSE obtained 848 convictions out of a total of 1,141 prosecutions, a 5 per cent decrease to 74 per cent compared to last year. Industry was fined more than £13 million for breaches of health and safety laws.

The reporting of health and safety incidents at work is a statutory requirement, set out under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).

Resources

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "We share the HSE's recognition that more needs to be done on enforcement and welcome the steps that have been taken. But the HSE cannot meet its targets for reducing occupational ill-health by 2010 without a significant increase in the resources available. Instead, the HSC has had its workforce reduced and faces further cuts of up to five per cent for the next three years as a result of the current spending review. These spending trends must be reversed."

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