Has health and safety really gone mad?

Latest statistics suggest we need better health and safety, not less

Ill health

• In 2010/11 an estimated 1.2 million people, who worked in the last twelve months suffered from ill health which they thought was work related*
  
  
• Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common type of work-related illness but mental ill health gives rise to more working days lost
  
  
• Historically there was a yearly average of around 7000 cases assessed for industrial injuries disablement benefit (IIDB). However in 2009 there were 34,000 cases. The largest number of assessments in 2009 concerned arthritis of the knee in miners (28,000) (added to the prescribed diseases list in July 2009). Otherwise the largest categories were vibration white finger, carpal tunnel syndrome and respiratory diseases associated with past exposures to substances such as asbestos and coal dust.
  
• The annual number of work related cancer deaths is likely to be more than 8000
  
  
• About 4000 cancer deaths each year are due to past exposure to asbestos
  
  
• In 2009, there were 189 deaths from asbestosis (as underlying cause), and 158 from other types of pneumoconiosis, mostly due to coal dust and silica
  
  
• Around 15% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD – including bronchitis and emphysema) may be work related. This suggests there could be some 4000 COPD deaths each year due to past occupational exposures to fumes, chemicals and dusts
  
  
• The annual number of mesothelioma deaths has increased from 153, in 1968, to 2321, in 2009

Deaths and injury

• 323 people have died in the workplace over the last two years
  
  
• 115,379 employees were injured in 2010/11 **
  
  
• There were 24,726 major injuries to employees reported in 2010/11. Over 40% were caused by slipping or tripping
  
  
• There were 90,653 other injuries to employees causing absence from work of more than 3 days. 36% were caused by handling, lifting or carrying, and just under a quarter due to slipping or tripping
  
  

Deaths in the workplace – 2010/11

• Agriculture: 34
  
  
• Construction: 50
  
  
• Manufacturing: 27
  
  
• Waste and recycling: 9

Working days lost

• 26.4 million working days were lost in 2010/11, 22.1 million due to work-related ill health and 4.4 million due to workplace injury

Key

*Labour Force Survey (LFS)

** Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)

All other statistics provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)