WORK RELATED DISEASES
damaging the joints and other tissues in their back. According to statistics from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), MSD accounts for more than a third of all reported work-related illnesses.
“12.5M WORKING DAYS WERE LOST TO WORK-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS (INCLUDING STRESS, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY) IN 2016-17.”
We also have the issue of health and wellbeing. That was the focus of IOSH’s Middle East Conference in Abu Dhabi. Expect to hear much more about it in the coming year. Why? Figures from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published late last year showed that 12.5m working days were lost to work-related mental health disorders (including stress, depression and anxiety) in 2016-17.
THE SILENT H New risks emerge in the workplace all
the time, but this doesn’t mean the old ones go away. Here, Craig Foyle, IOSH
President explains why raising awareness of work-related diseases is a good place to start in preventing them.
HOW MANY PEOPLE THINK ASBESTOS IS AN
ISSUE OF THE PAST? A lot of people are suffering with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases but this is linked to exposure from years ago. Plus, asbestos is now banned in many countries throughout the world, so surely there is no need to be concerned, right? Think again.
Asbestos is still a huge issue. Despite well over 107,000 people dying every year across the world because of previous asbestos exposure, an estimated 125 million people are still being exposed annually. This is truly shocking.
It is why IOSH is currently raising awareness of the issue with its ‘No Time to Lose’ campaign on occupational cancer. We are providing free resources to assist businesses with identifying if their premises contain asbestos and, if so, managing it.
Occupational cancer is just one example of the health issues that can be caused by work when risks are not sufficiently managed. There are many other diseases which can be contracted while at work, as well as musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) often caused from manual handling. When employees move items by lifting and carrying, or pushing and pulling them, they risk
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IOSH has called for employers to ‘step up to the mark’ and commit to new standards on employee mental health. It came after it published research which found that employers need to do more to help workers return to their jobs after a period of absence with a mental health issue. While many businesses are getting to grips with health and wellbeing, the fact that so many working days are lost shows we still have some way to go.
This is the case with worker health overall. In the coming year, there will be a continued focus on ensuring that worker health is given the same prominence as their safety. That is why it is called safety and health; both are equally important and deserve equal commitment from businesses and not treat the ‘h’ as silent.
“MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF ALL REPORTED WORK-RELATED ILLNESSES.”
Those employers who do value both reap the rewards. Having a fit and healthy workforce brings huge benefits for organisations. They experience both massive reductions in sick days and a motivated workforce; employees who see that their employer genuinely cares are naturally more motivated. In turn, this increases productivity. What employer wouldn’t want this? We are constantly making improvements to safety and health management. However, the very nature of the world we live in means we have new challenges around the corner at all times. As a profession, we cannot afford to stand still. We must keep striving to find new ways of protecting working people.
www.iosh.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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