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06/06/2007
The European Commission has launched on June 4th a campaign to fight backache and other bone and muscle pains which are the most common work-related heath problem in Europe costing billions of dollars in lost labor hours.
Up to a quarter of the workforce suffers with back pain, the European Union's executive office said, and the situation risks worsening with the aging of the workforce.
"Given the demographic change, people will probably have to work longer and this makes it even more imperative that we tackle this problem now," EU Social Affairs Commissioner Vladmir Spidla said in a statement.
The EU said back pains and other "musculoskeletal disorders" cost the EU's 27 member nations up to 1.6 percent of gross domestic product every year.
"For the employee, they cause personal suffering and loss of income, for the employer, they reduce business efficiency, and for the government, they increase social security costs," the Commission said in a statement.
The campaign, dubbed "Lighten the Load," aims to reduce the incidence of back pain in the workplace by raising employers' awareness of what contributes to the disorders and by encouraging them to comply with existing health and safety laws.
They should ensure that workers don't have to carry excessively heavy loads, work long hours in unhealthy positions or cold environments, the Commission said.
The campaign is designed to culminate in a European Week for Safety and Health at Work in mid-October.
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- More information on the Campaign
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