The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced their health and work strategy plan for 2018-2019.
Targeting injuries with high risk, as well as health concerns that affect the majority of workers in the UK, the plan foregrounds the need for employers and employees to work according to health and safety procedures to avoid health concerns or even fines.
Work-related stress, musculoskeletal disorders and occupational lung disease
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are identified as the most common work-related illness, affecting 41% of work-related ill health cases. The priority plan highlights that this involves much more than manual handling.
Occupational lung disease (OLD) ranks highly for risk, with an estimated 12,000 deaths annually. Underlying causes for occupational lung disease vary, from asbestos (recognised as high profile concern) to dust. Monitoring the frequency of exposure and length of contact to contributory agents in assessing the risk of workers can support positive change in preventing and controlling exposure.
Work-related stress (WRS) - the second largest contributor of ill-health in the workforce - is responsible for 45% of working days lost to ill health, in spite of a more pro-active engagement by employers to questions about mental wellbeing.
Industry priorities
Construction, manufacture, health and social care, among others, have been targeted as priority industries to HSE by way of supporting positive changes with the most significant impact.
The HSE sets out to publish indicators and criteria for evaluation on all priority areas by the end of 2018 in support of industry and business.
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