Key figures (2013 – 2014):
– 1.2 million people suffered from ill health (46%) or injury (54%);
– 133 people were killed at work;
– There were approximately 13,000 work-related deaths (99% due to ill health);
– 28.2 million working days were lost due to ill health (83%) and safety incidents (17%);
– The estimated cost of ill health and injuries from working conditions is £14.2 billion (based on 2012-2013 figures).
Workplace ill health
The most common work-related ill health conditions are stress, musculoskeletal disorders, skin disease and asthma. The most common long-latency conditions are cancers, asbestos related diseases, COPD and other respiratory conditions, vibration and hearing loss.
Workplace injury
There were 133 fatal injuries, 80,000 non-fatal injuries reported by employers under RIDDOR and 629,000 self-reported injuries from the Labour Force Survey. The most common causes of injury were manual handling, falls from height and slips/trips.
Economic costs
Ill health and injury is estimated to cost £14.2 billion annually, this figure excludes the cost of cancer as these figures are not yet available. Ill health makes up 60% and injuries (including fatalities) 40% of the total cost. Over recent years costs have fallen and show signs of leveling off.