The has published a new report giving detailed information on the extent of work-related ill health. The main headline figures from this report, Self-reported work-related illness in 2003/04. Results from the Labour Force Survey, appeared in Health and Safety Statistics Highlights 2003/04 in November 2004.

In 2003/04, 29.8 million working days were lost to work-related illness, with an estimated 2.2 million people in Great Britain who believed they suffered from an illness that was caused or made worse by their current or past work. On average, each person who was suffering took an estimated 22 days off work during that 12-month period, which when averaged across the working population represents an annual loss of 1.3 days per worker.

Musculoskeletal disorders followed by stress, depression or anxiety were by far the most commonly reported types of work related illness with corresponding estimates of 1.1 million and 0.6 million people reporting a current or past illness. Although the estimated annual working days lost were similar for the two conditions, the average annual days lost per case was higher for stress, depression or anxiety (28 days) than for musculoskeletal disorders (19 days).

The rate of new cases of work-related illness in 2003/04 has decreased from 2001/02. Much of this is due to a fall in musculoskeletal disorders, particularly those affecting the back. An estimated 11.8 million working days were lost due to musculoskeletal disorders with 4.9 million days lost through cases affecting the back and 4.7 million days lost through musculoskeletal disorders affecting the upper limbs or neck caused or made worse by work. On average, each person suffering from a condition affecting the back took an estimated 19 days off work, an annual loss of 0.21 days per worker, which is similar to the corresponding rate of 0.24 days per worker in 2001/02.

The report, Self-reported work-related illness in 2003/04. Results from the Labour Force Survey, generally confirms patterns, which have emerged over previous surveys in 1990, 1995, 1998/99 and 2001/02.
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The main headline figures from this report appeared in Health and Safety Statistics Highlights 2003/04 in November 2004, and full results are now presented in this new report. Results for 2001/02 (which have been revised as a result of the 2001 Census) are also presented.
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