Sick in the Workplace: 1.4 Million Suffering from Work-Related Ill Health

The latest statistics on workplace ill health from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) make for interesting reading. 1.4 million of us suffered from work-related ill health in 2018/19, with nearly half a million new cases appearing. Collectively, 23.5 million working days were lost to work-related ill health over this period.

The figures hint at the scale of the human cost of poor health and safety in the workplace. For each of these cases there’s someone who has suffered hardship because of work, often long-term, and in some cases fatal.

What are the Causes?

A staggering 44% of work-related ill health is caused by stress, depression and anxiety. The majority of days off sick have this cause. In many cases, due to the weakening but sadly still present stigma around mental health, workers may attribute their absence to a physical illness to avoid telling their managers. Taking mental health seriously is a huge priority for all organisations.

Musculoskeletal disorders were another prominent issue. Unsurprisingly, industries such as agriculture and construction have a higher than average rate, but all companies need to make sure they’re offering proper trained in manual handling. In offices, spending too long at the keyboard in the wrong position can lead to musculoskeletal problems later on. These can often be long-term and cause severe pain; in some cases, people will be unable to work due to their symptoms.

It’s important not to dismiss the early signs of these conditions as “just a sign of ageing”. Most people have room for improvement in their posture or working conditions and should see a doctor if they feel they might be developing a disorder.

The causes of workplace injuries are relatively familiar. Slips, trips and falls were the most common cause once again, with manual handling close behind. Shockingly, 8% of workplace injuries were caused by acts of violence. It’s unacceptable that anyone should face violence or aggression at their workplace. Some jobs, such as healthcare, security and retail, have a higher than average risk of encountering this poor conduct and employers should take every step necessary to make sure their workers are protected. Anyone can be a victim of workplace violence or aggression, so even in industries that don’t suffer from a higher risk, managers need to take this very seriously.

Occupational lung disease affects thousands of people. In fact, an estimated 12,000 people die each year from past exposures at work. Asbestos damage is sadly common. This highlights how inadequate health and safety can have an impact on employees years after the problem occurred.

Will Things Improve?

Work-related ill health declined for a number of years but has been broadly flat in recent times. With the right training, legislation and commitment from people in all industries, there’s no reason why we won’t see further improvements.

For employers, the most important thing to do immediately is to listen to their staff. The people doing the work on a daily basis are the ones with the most valuable insights into potential hazards and what they need to mitigate them. This is especially valuable during the risk assessment process.

Overall, the UK’s health and safety culture compares favourably with many others around the world. It is one of the safest places to work in Europe. There’s no reason why the trend towards improvement in recent decades shouldn’t continue, as long as the right conditions are maintained and it remains a top priority for businesses and employees alike.

Designing the Perfect Office for Health and Safety

We spend a lot of our lives at work and where we work can have just as big an effect as our role itself. Let’s face it, most of us have been in less than perfect conditions at some point in our careers!

What is undeniable is that where we work has a strong effect on how we feel. It’s a big influence on our level of safety during the working day. Almost all workplace accidents are avoidable and design can play an important role in stopping problems in their tracks before anyone gets injured.

It’s rare for an employer to have the opportunity to design an office from scratch. But little changes can help too. Whether you’re re-fitting an existing workplace, relocating somewhere new or simply tweaking your existing arrangements, there are changes you can make to benefit all employees.

Getting the Basics Right

The workplace’s layout is one of the most important aspects of its health and safety. In lots of cases, the design features will not be consciously noticed but will nudge people towards more safe behaviour.

Try to make every area accessible to all. Don’t just take your current staff members into account. Even if few employees have mobility issues now, that doesn’t mean new hires won’t – and existing employees can develop them too. It pays to be prepared.

Take into account evacuation procedures. Whether it’s a fire, a bomb threat, flooding or another sudden event, you may need to get everyone out quickly and safely during stressful situations. Having a well thought out plan in place, backed up by sensible placing of workstations near to the exits, can make all the difference.

The lighting must always be carefully placed and strong enough to ensure maximum visibility. This is especially true around stairs and in storage areas. Many slips, trips and falls are completely avoidable but happen because people can’t see where they’re going. This extends to outside areas too. It could be a personal safety issue to have employees walking long distances through the dark on their way home.

Employers should also consider hygiene. Standards in this area can make the difference between one person having a bug and spreading it like wildfire through the whole office.

People should have space to move around during the day. Sitting at desks for entire working days isn’t healthy for many reasons and can contribute to musculoskeletal issues.

Minimising Stress

Stress is a huge issue for UK workplaces. Millions of us suffer from work-related stress every year, with many of these cases becoming long-term and resulting in illness.

Of course, the design of a person’s office isn’t the only factor at play. “Working conditions” doesn’t just mean physical conditions, and policies such as flexible working, a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment, and fair pay can all make a huge difference to the mental health of workers. Even a perfectly designed office won’t change the culture if people are overworked and bullying is rife. Employers need to look at the full picture when improving working environments and avoid the temptation to look for a quick fix.

That doesn’t stop the environment itself from having a huge impact. People benefit from a wide variety of types of spaces in their offices. As well as the traditional desks, make room for areas to relax during breaks, smaller “quiet areas” for involved individual work requiring concentration and meeting rooms for teamwork. The sort of space your colleagues need will depend on the sort of work they do, so there’s no “one size fits all” solution.

Bringing some elements of nature into the workspace has benefits for employee health and wellbeing. This doesn’t have to be complicated: even a few well-placed plants near to where people work can make a difference.

Colour theory suggests even the décor can have an impact on stress levels. The rule of thumb suggests blue is good for productivity, green is calming and yellow is energising. No colour should be over-used but it can be a fun guide when deciding which spaces should be which colour.

There are so many factors at play that affect health and safety in the workplace. Looking at the layout and design of the office is just one step employers can take to ensure they’re taking their duty of care to their workers seriously.

Protect your Spine: A Workplace Health and Safety Issue

Every year, over 450,000 people in the UK suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders, many of which originate in the spinal area. There are also millions of people suffering from lower-level chronic back and neck pain that causes significant hardship in their lives.

Many of these conditions could be avoided.

Throughout the average day (and even during sleep) we’re constantly putting some level of pressure on our spines. Simple actions such as sitting down or walking can cause wear and tear on our spines over time, especially if our postures aren’t great. Manual handling is another danger area for the spine. If we haven’t had the correct training and don’t know how to lift correctly, we can risk long-term spine damage and back pain.

Sitting for Long Periods

Most office workers spend a lot of time sitting stationary at their desks every week. When engrossed in a task, it can be hard to make time during the day to get up from our chairs and walk around, but even a five minute walk at regular intervals can be beneficial. Getting active during lunch breaks is a great way to relieve pressure on the spine – and keep healthy in lots of other ways, too.

Workers who spend a lot of time sitting down should perform stretching exercises when they’re able to, keeping all of their muscles sufficiently active and stretched and avoiding that uninterrupted pressure.

Conducting Manual Handling Tasks

Manual handling, whether performed by someone who does it regularly or as a one-off event, can be dangerous if it’s not done properly. Any task involving lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing or pulling is a risk and requires good quality training for the employee involved.

Knowing the correct technique is very important. If the task can be carried out without manual handling – for example, by using lifting equipment – this should be done to cut down the risk of injury.

Driving for Long Periods

Whether driving is a major part of your role or an occasional thing, long journeys can be a risk for musculoskeletal problems. Staying in one place for an extended period of time and performing repetitive movements, such as pressing the clutch to change gears, can cause undue pressure on the spine. All drivers should make appropriate adjustments to the position of their seat to make sure their backs are well-supported.

Taking breaks at least every two hours is very important on long journeys. Not only does this help with pressure on the spine and muscles, it is essential for staying alert and safe on the roads.

Standing for Long Periods

Since standing is such a natural position, it’s easy to forget that it, too, can put pressure on the body.

If you stand a lot for work, try to avoid staying in the same position for too long, and take regular breaks. Avoid sudden or unnatural changes to your position, such as unnecessary bending or stretching.

Whatever you do at work, taking a bit of time to learn about spinal health can be valuable, and make these sorts of health problems less likely to arise further down the line.

Spinal Awareness eLearning from DeltaNet International

Our Spinal Awareness eLearning courses encourage learners to “take 5” to learn about: Understanding your Spine, Managing the Risks of Spinal Injury, Improving your Posture and Stretching Exercises.

The Spinal Awareness Take 5 courses join our suite of Manual Handling courses.