subject: Work Place Injury And Illness: The Facts [print this page] Accidents in the work place are becoming more and more of a problem in the UK. The amount of people falling ill or becoming injured is proving to be an issue for concern amongst employers and trade unions as of late.
A new report has been released by the TUC which reveals the shocking extent of poor standards of health and safety amongst workers and workplaces in the UK.
Possibly the most shocking statistic released is the fact that 20,000 UK workers are reportedly killed prematurely simply carrying out their jobs. This latest figure included those who contract fatal diseases as a result of being exposed to toxins and toxic substances such as asbestos. Asbestos carries health risks such as mesothelioma (a type of lung cancer) asbestosis, and a wide range of other respiratory conditions. The TUC has emphasized how large this figure is by comparing it as the entire population of the Orkney Islands.
20,000 people sounds a lot but when we look at the number of people that suffer injuries it pales into insignificance. Almost 246,000 workers are injured whist performing their workplace duties, this shows how big the problem is.
Just as shocking as the amount of injuries is the figure for the amount of illnesses that are contracted by people due t their working environment. 1.2 million people are believed to be suffering from an illness brought on by the job they do or the environment they work in. These illnesses can vary wildly from stress and neck pain to heart disease and depression.
The Trade Union Commission is using these figures to show that the workplaces in Great Britain can still be very dangerous and not particularly healthy. This is despite all of the attention that is paid to health and safety and promoting good working conditions. They are now encouraging the government to ignore calls to reduce the amount of so called 'red tape' and lapse safety regulations.
The real truth is that lots of accidents that occur in the workplace can easily be prevented when the correct health and safety protocol is followed. If correct protocol is not followed then usually if somebody suffers an injury they will be eligible to make a compensation claim for damages.
by: Clare Westwood
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