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)